tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-42419059123530512362018-01-27T06:28:17.318-05:00The Mess That Is MeRobbie Coxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13984616812301451319noreply@blogger.comBlogger479125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4241905912353051236.post-84748192202877444932018-01-09T09:23:00.000-05:002018-01-09T09:23:27.417-05:00The Mess Reborn<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dc3ICGK-VPA/T4XFAco52wI/AAAAAAAAA_c/yJ99rj70Irsi0HTEf5ka7NMzf-U_jdrGgCPcBGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_20111130_135001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dc3ICGK-VPA/T4XFAco52wI/AAAAAAAAA_c/yJ99rj70Irsi0HTEf5ka7NMzf-U_jdrGgCPcBGAYYCw/s200/IMG_20111130_135001.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We moved!!!</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot; , serif; font-size: 12pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">When I started the transformation from magazine writing to self-publishing my fiction, the first thing I did was create a blog called, </span><i style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif; font-size: 12pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><a href="http://www.robbiecox.net/blog-c12fo" target="_blank">The Mess That Is Me</a></i><span style="font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot; , serif; font-size: 12pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">. I thought it a fitting title for a chaotic mind. Most of the posts were my quirky observations on myself, my family and friends, and the people I saw around me. Nothing was off-limits, especially me. I took a tongue-in-cheek, smartass look at things everyone else saw as normal, I called out those things that just didn’t make sense, and I shared things I learned along the way. I started the blog in September of 2010 and kept it going strong up until I moved my website to Wix, which, while it had a blog setup of its own, it didn’t have the format I wanted to keep my smartass posts going. Not that I didn’t post, because I did. I shared updates on the book events we attended, revisited old posts, and even made a few new smartass comments. Still, it wasn’t the same.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot; , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">What I enjoyed at the old <i>Mess</i> was the interaction the posts generated, the comments from readers, and even the snarky banter. The new blog on Wix didn’t allow comments at first, and when they finally added a comment app, it didn’t really work well and sometimes was lost at the bottom of the page. Useless. It also didn’t have a subscribe option, so that people would get my smartass life commentary straight to their emails, which made traffic a ghost town at times. So, without those options, the posts dwindled and almost stopped altogether.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot; , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">That is, until now. Wix finally stepped up their game and fixed it so we had both of those options. While it’s still not exactly the way I would prefer it, it’s much better than before and a step in the right direction. So, the two weeks before 2018, I uploaded the old blog to the new site and got it ready for your reading pleasure once again. You can stop by subscribe, share, and even comment. All the things I enjoyed at the old <i>Mess</i> will now be available at the new and we’re ready to start the new year off right.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot; , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">This is not the same as being subscribed to my newsletter. The two will have totally different content. One is for announcements and updates, while the other, <i><a href="http://www.robbiecox.net/blog-c12fo" target="_blank">The Mess That Is Me</a></i>, is back to what it used to be, weekly posts of sharing aspects of my life as well as my cracked mind. And I’m hoping you join me. All you need to do is click this link -&nbsp;<a href="http://www.robbiecox.net/blog-c12fo">http://www.robbiecox.net/blog-c12fo</a>&nbsp;- and subscribe, then interact. After all, that’s what it’s all about. If you’re a part of the old <i>Mess</i>, you’ll still have to subscribe, because they wouldn’t allow me to transfer you over. I hope you continue to follow me as we look toward the future and the journey moves onward. I’m not sure what’s coming, but I know it’s going to be great. See you at <i><a href="http://www.robbiecox.net/blog-c12fo" target="_blank">The Mess</a>!<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>Robbie Coxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13984616812301451319noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4241905912353051236.post-28248153054165382312016-06-06T16:48:00.002-04:002016-06-07T10:22:05.506-04:00Attending the Dinner Party: What to Expect From a Book Signing<div style="text-align: justify;"><i>(Getting a Seat at the Table: Book Signing Basics Part One)</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oxR83eQKBqA/V1XhKHMjkNI/AAAAAAAATMo/SmAX17B2FZAyuGPDud_seq3NfVMdmVTtgCLcB/s1600/474c8e_746efa14e1d04b30b330b3727b38e230.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oxR83eQKBqA/V1XhKHMjkNI/AAAAAAAATMo/SmAX17B2FZAyuGPDud_seq3NfVMdmVTtgCLcB/s320/474c8e_746efa14e1d04b30b330b3727b38e230.jpg" width="239" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">So, you’re going to a book signing. I bet you’re excited, pumped with adrenaline and visions of long lines of readers just waiting to purchase a signed copy of one of your books. You have trouble sleeping at night as the event draws closer because in your mind you’re packing and repacking your bags, you’re toying with the display at your table, making sure everything looks perfect, and you’re practicing your signature. Truth be told, you’ve been daydreaming about this day since you typed the very first word of your manuscript, and it’s almost upon you.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">But have you asked yourself why you’re going to a book signing?<br /><a name='more'></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />Don’t look at me like that. I know you’re thinking that’s a silly question. Obviously, you go to a book signing to sell books. Duh.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It might shock you to discover that, actually, you don’t. Truth be told, if you sell books, you’re lucky. Not everyone does and, unless you’re one of the heavy hitters, if you do sell books, it won’t be as many as you’re hoping. Selling books is the dessert of an event, not the main course, and unless you want to walk away from the table with a growling stomach and crashing from a sugar high, there’s a few things you should know before venturing out into an author event.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Over the next few weeks, we’re going to be looking at book signings and helping you make the most out of each one you attend. You may think this sounds simplistic and that everyone should already know what to expect as well as what to do, but I know when we first ventured out into the world of author events, we were clueless. Luckily for me, the girls were great at researching and stalking event pages and attending authors to see what they had done in the past. I want to take that knowledge and pass it along, helping anyone who might need a little nudge. These events can be scary if you’re going for your first time. I want to somehow ease that fear. I’ve divided the topic into four sections: What to Expect From a Book Signing, How to Make the Most of a Book Signing, Book Signing Etiquette, and You’re Job as an Author. Each post will be geared to help you succeed at your first event and every signing thereafter.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Whenever the girls and I are scheduled to go anywhere, we always take a look at the surrounding hot spots, restaurants, and clubs. We do some research, examining the menu at every place we’re destined to visit or the hotels where we’re expected to stay, so that we can know what to expect as best as we can. Quite often the girls already know what they’re going to eat at each restaurant and what drinks they want to experiment with at the bars. You need to look at each event the same way. Study the itinerary and make sure you know what will be happening and when, so you’re the best prepared. Today, we’re going to take a glance at some of the most common things you should expect from attending an author event.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I’ve already stated that the goal of attending a book signing is not to sell books. So, if it’s not to sell books, what should you, the author, expect from attending a book signing? First, you should divide your goals up into two sections: a writer’s track and a reader’s track.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">For the writer’s track, the first thing on the menu is networking. Reach out and shake hands, pass out your business card, and share stories. However, most importantly, listen. One of the advantages of attending these events is gleaning knowledge from more experienced authors. Not just about events, but about everything that has to do with the business of writing from formatting, editing, and even marketing. What you should expect – if you do your part – is to gain knowledge, and that is always worth the price of admission. We have gained so much by attending conferences and signings that we probably would not have learned if we had remained home. I’ve discovered writing and formatting programs, advertising tricks, and even story ideas. My Fangirls series centers on such an event, stories that would have never been written if I hadn’t attended because I never would have thought about it.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Some events are geared heavily towards the writers. They hold workshops, panels, and classes to assist you in your quest to be the best author possible. I recommend that you take as many classes as you can, even if you think you know everything there is to know on the topic. Odds are, you don’t. So, take notes. Ask questions. Then, when you return home, put into practice those things that spoke the most to your goals. The worst thing you could do is listen to how other people succeed and not take their advice.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">However, perhaps you do know something that the speaker doesn’t because you are an expert in the field. Don’t hesitate to change one of the dishes on the menu by speaking up and adding your knowledge in the discussion. Don’t take over the class, but don’t be afraid to correct misinformation, either. I was recently in a class about the business side of writing and the speaker was outdated on his knowledge of social media. That’s not surprising with how rapidly things change between Facebook and Twitter. I happened to know some of the things he was missing out on, so I spoke up and added the little bit I knew. Still, he knew quite a bit about newsletters that I didn’t, so I was able to walk away gaining while sharing. That’s how this industry works, or at least that’s how it should work. Indie authors are great at sharing their knowledge, so don’t be afraid to ask questions and share your knowledge with others as well. It’s part of giving back.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Now, from the reader’s track, you should expect to meet new people and talk about your writing. If you’ve done your part, which we’ll talk about later, and the event host has done their part, then you should expect readers to come through the doors. This does not guarantee you sales, but it does guarantee you opportunities. The main thing is not to get your book in their hands, but rather your name in their heads. This is an opportunity for you to grow your audience. After every event, my numbers increase everywhere. I have more friend requests on Facebook, more likes on my Facebook author page, my newsletter subscribers increase, and my eBook sales start to climb. That results into even more opportunities to increase your traffic and your sales.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The other thing you should expect is a knowledgeable and organized host. This person should be doing their part to attract readers as well as keeping you and your assistant informed as to the latest news concerning the event as well as any changes. They should be respectful and easy to work with. Their goal is to create a pleasant experience to keep both, authors and readers, coming back every year. I know that if I really enjoy an event, I’m going to be bragging about it and encouraging other authors I know to get involved. Word of mouth can be your best advertisement or, if things go south, your worst review.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">One more thing you should expect is to return home excited, motivated, and full of ideas. If you follow the suggestions in this series and do your part, you will have gleaned ideas and tools that are working for other authors. You’ll learn about marketing tricks and tools that authors are using that are helping them succeed. As soon as the girls and I hit the road on the way home, our notepads are out, and we’re strategizing what we need to do next. How are we going to spruce up the website? What advertising hot spots did we learn about? Who are the connections we need to fertilize and see grow? We’re full of ideas and eager to put them into action. You should be as well. If you have your mind focused and your expectations realistic, you’ll return from an author event as if from a pep rally. Make that energy work for you and follow through on what you’ve learned.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">~ ~ ~ ~ ~</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i>Until next time, keep chasing your fantasies!</i></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i>And make sure you visit us at <a href="http://www.robbie.net/">www.robbie.net</a></i></b></div>Robbie Coxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13984616812301451319noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4241905912353051236.post-12271029970435320762016-05-19T16:48:00.000-04:002016-05-19T16:48:00.191-04:00“I’d Rather Share My Husband”<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fxTDNEZaKDw/Vz4mDWkt6fI/AAAAAAAATJ0/H2wObcycdBshUY5Pfzz7Z_pkV5RQ-DmzgCLcB/s1600/1239571_10200964277601873_1254586488_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fxTDNEZaKDw/Vz4mDWkt6fI/AAAAAAAATJ0/H2wObcycdBshUY5Pfzz7Z_pkV5RQ-DmzgCLcB/s320/1239571_10200964277601873_1254586488_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">It’s about to happen again. We’re moving. Although we’re not looking forward to the chaos and disorder that comes from packing up a house and hauling it across town, we are eager to be living back on the beach. The problem is going to come when we begin to arrange the furniture and decorate. Most couples have no problem doing this. The woman decorates and the man keeps his mouth shut and signs the checks. However, I live with three ladies, who I affectionately call my girls, who have similar, and yet, varying tastes. They also run the gamut from very conservative and formal to eclectic and bright. My job, other than signing the checks, is to attempt to keep a balance between it all as well as tempers from being flared. It’s all part of living together in our home.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">A friend of ours says she couldn’t do it. “I’d rather share my husband than have to share my house with another woman.” I can understand. It’s her domain. She wants it to look like she wants it and not someone else’s design. Her home needs to represent her worldview and decorative tastes. Her home is about her and I can understand that.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">However, ours is about a family and it takes a little more effort to make sure everyone is represented. That’s going to require patience, communication, compromise, and a brand new bottle of Jameson.</div><a name='more'></a><o:p></o:p><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">It’s also a time for a fresh start, a solidifying of who we are as a family, making the home <i>ours</i>and not a hodge podge of each other. We’ve done it once before. When Char and I moved in with Teri, it was a meshing of two households. We had to cram two houses full of furniture, knick knacks and memories into one home. It was important to make sure that what was important to everyone survived the transition without causing the house to resemble a garage sale collection. It was tough, but we managed it and the house was a sanctuary for ourselves and our friends for a couple of years.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Then the first move came. We had to leave the beach and move mainland. It was time to make it truly our home. New furniture was purchased, new curtains selected and even new knick knacks were picked out. Quite a bit was packed away into storage tubs and stacked in the garage. Even more was purged out of the house altogether and done away with to make room for the new. The girls went up and down every aisle in every store, discussing and choosing each selection carefully that represented each of them. Again, I just signed the checks.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Then a couple of years ago, Sarah joined our family and it was decided to move her into our home.&nbsp; We were back to blending tastes as well as furniture, creating an intermingling of personalities that didn’t appear as a thrift store. Our house was full and we had decided to double the contents inside. Walls can only hold so much and we were pushing them to their limits. And I had just cleaned and organized the garage!<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Yet, we’re moving again, back to the beach, and the chaos is already underway. My garage is full of boxes and the ladies are full of nerves. I’m excited, however, because once gain we can make the house <i>ours</i>. They’ve already ordered new comforters sets for the bed and are picking out new colors for the rest of the house and back porch. They’re planning new gardens and organizing cupboards. They’re talking, arguing, and then compromising. And all I have to do is sign the checks and keep them from killing each other. Yet, it’s worth it, because instead of “that’s Char’s” or “that’s Teri’s” or “that’s Sarah’s,” it’s all ours.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">We don’t want separate houses. We want to be together without splitting up our time, so the couple of months of chaos and deep negotiations is worth it to keep us in our special haven and beside each other. The family comes first and the girls have become used to sharing. It’s all worth it to obtain our goals and the life we want. As our wall says, “our forevers are together,” and we’ll do whatever it takes to keep us moving forward and together.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">~ ~ ~ ~ ~<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Until next time, keep chasing your fantasies!</b></i></div>Robbie Coxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13984616812301451319noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4241905912353051236.post-31172848136587256942016-05-16T10:17:00.002-04:002016-05-16T10:17:55.451-04:00Lunch Break Reads<div style="text-align: justify;">The <a href="http://amzn.to/1KcFwYl">Fangirls</a> series started out as an experiment. Wait, that’s not exactly true. <a href="http://amzn.to/1KcFwYl"><i>Nikki</i></a>, the first in the series, started out as a short story I was writing for an anthology, but for which I decided against. Then, people were telling me to take one of my novels and divide it up into four or five parts and sell those for ninety-nine cents and then put them all together for a higher price. From what I understand, others have had great success doing this. Yet, I couldn’t think of taking one of my books, like <a href="http://amzn.to/1Phyg25"><i>Losing Faith</i></a>, and dividing it into smaller novellas. I liked my books to actually be books. Still, I was intrigued enough to give it a try, just in a different way. Therefore, <a href="http://amzn.to/1KcFwYl"><i>Nikki</i></a> became the first in a series of novelettes that would follow the journey of authors and fans and the love that could be sparked.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lfqoO-ZA_sw/VznUbtcdlzI/AAAAAAAATIo/n4mVDabbDPYIWkOOrVeRluwYmPD-yw4PwCLcB/s1600/Fangirls.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lfqoO-ZA_sw/VznUbtcdlzI/AAAAAAAATIo/n4mVDabbDPYIWkOOrVeRluwYmPD-yw4PwCLcB/s320/Fangirls.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">To be honest, I’ve had mixed responses, although all of them have been great. One review stated, “What a fun fun read! But omg really?!? I want more!! While this is my first book by Robbie, I am completely fangirling myself!! Looking forward to the rest of the series!” and another, “<a href="http://amzn.to/1KcFwYl"><i>Nikki</i></a> is a novella and a very quick read, I read the entire book in less than an hour. My only "complaint" is that I want it to be longer, I want to know what happens with <a href="http://amzn.to/1KcFwYl"><i>Nikki</i></a> and her new friend, although it's not a cliffhanger. This story flows very nicely and isn't choppy in the least. If you're looking for a short quick read, pick this one up. You won't be disappointed!” Readers love the stories; they just want them longer. However, they’re satisfied with the story, because the novelettes satisfy. I received a Facebook message one day that explains it well. “So I read <a href="http://amzn.to/1KcFwYl"><i>Nikki</i></a> and <i><a href="http://amzn.to/1LSoxQQ">Lily</a> </i>on Tuesday. LOVED them! Such easy quick reads. Perfect storyline. Good pace. The best part, I felt accomplished when I finished reading. I didn't have that feeling of "OMG I gotta hurry with dinner and family/house stuff and get back to that book." Refreshing! Now, while it is great to have that book you just can’t put down or wait to get back to, it was a nice change. Can't wait until this weekend to read the other two.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">And that’s the response I was really hoping for when I published them. Quick reads that not only entertain, but leave the reader feeling satisfied with completing an entire tale. There is no cliffhanger, no needing to wait until the next book comes out. Each story is a complete tale and the reader gets the whole story. These are what I call Lunch Break Reads, short stories that people can read while eating their lunch or riding the bus or even waiting for their children to rehearse for an upcoming concert. They don’t require hours of time, leaving a reader frustrated when they keep getting interrupted and having to put the book down.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">There are more of these Lunch Break Reads in the works and not all romances. The plan is to publish a few in-between the larger works and, hopefully, readers are entertained enough to venture into my novels. We may even put some background stories together for characters of my series to give something to those readers who want to know more about the characters they’ve grown to love. To be honest, I’m looking forward to writing these short tales, for they’re just as much a quick accomplishment for me as they are for the reader. I’m hoping we both enjoy the discovery of these stories.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">~ ~ ~ ~ ~</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Until next time, keep chasing your fantasies!</div>Robbie Coxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13984616812301451319noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4241905912353051236.post-39114011179659629652016-05-12T12:39:00.000-04:002016-05-12T12:39:54.975-04:00It’s Fiction, not Autobiography<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">“I read your book last week.”</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">“Oh? I hope you liked it.”<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">“Very much so. But I just have to ask, did you really kill that guy like that? I mean, that was pretty brutal. How did it feel?”<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">“Excuse me? I haven’t killed anyone. What the hell are you talking about?”<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">“The murder scene in chapter eleven where you snuck up on Charles while he was getting his kids hot dogs, slit his throat and then stuffed him into the grill. Weren’t you scared?”<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">“I didn’t kill Charles. My <i>character</i>, Peter Branston killed Charles. It’s a murder mystery, you know, fiction. It’s not a true story.”<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FAOwH16OrTQ/VzSxWi7yozI/AAAAAAAATIY/xRIqnIZdKuMlfj2NQR0rJCks9j7d2KzagCLcB/s1600/LosingFaithv6-1.tif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="234" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FAOwH16OrTQ/VzSxWi7yozI/AAAAAAAATIY/xRIqnIZdKuMlfj2NQR0rJCks9j7d2KzagCLcB/s320/LosingFaithv6-1.tif" width="320" /></a></div><a name='more'></a><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Seems like a pretty ludicrous conversation, but it happens to erotica authors quite a bit, only substitute sex for murder. Fictional works have a disclaimer in the front that reads something like “The characters in this book are purely a creation of the author’s imagination and any resemblance to real people is purely coincidental.” Personally, I think instead of coincidental, it should read “Damn good writing,” but that wouldn’t help in court I’m told. I think in front of erotic books it should read “Sex scenes are based purely on the author’s imagination and are not based on any real experience.” It sounds sad and depressing, but really, this is the only genre where people think if you wrote it down, you actually did it. They don’t feel that way about the murder mystery and most think biographies are made up to make people look special. So why do they feel that way about erotica?</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">I’ve had a few people tell me that they would be uncomfortable reading <i>Losing Faith</i>because they would feel like they were peeking into my bedroom. I told them not to allow that to stop them. Most of the sex scenes in <i>Losing Faith</i> don’t take place in a bedroom anyway. Besides, I leave my bedroom blinds open, so it doesn’t matter.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">I’m not sure why readers think the sex scenes are taken from the real life experience of the author. Perhaps they’ve heard “write what you know” and figure “Wow, that writer knows a lot of kinky shit.” Erotica authors do have sex, or at least I hope they do. They may even have wild, passionate, kinky sex in exotic locations. Yet, that doesn’t mean that they’ve acted out the scenes in their novels. Well, maybe they did afterwards, but that’s action based on inspiration, not necessarily research. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Furthermore, some of the characters are doing the dirty deed so much, it would kill the average person. If we had sex as often as they do, we’d never write anything down. I suppose we could video record it, but that gets into a whole other realm I’m not comfortable with.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">So, when reading an erotic romance, if you must envision someone acting out what you are reading–and you really should because that’s the fun of reading books as opposed to watching movies–make it yourself you see and not the author. Chances are we were picturing someone like you when we wrote it.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><br /><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">~ ~ ~ ~ ~<o:p></o:p></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i><b><br /></b></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Until next time, keep chasing your fantasies!</b></i></div>Robbie Coxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13984616812301451319noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4241905912353051236.post-3160621830774330362016-05-09T09:38:00.001-04:002016-05-09T09:43:23.085-04:00You Deserve Better<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ats0bcJlKTA/VzCSyYzdtsI/AAAAAAAATGo/CVXVoHj70S4an3V3gslVJ79tVtp6feneQCLcB/s1600/474c8e_a701f8603d444af58c34f0c36dd7fb4b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ats0bcJlKTA/VzCSyYzdtsI/AAAAAAAATGo/CVXVoHj70S4an3V3gslVJ79tVtp6feneQCLcB/s1600/474c8e_a701f8603d444af58c34f0c36dd7fb4b.jpg" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Six years ago, Sarah found herself in a hostile work environment. The manager of her company was a controlling, domineering man who tried to insinuate his way into the nooks and crannies of his employees’ lives as if he had a right to control their personal time. If they didn’t kowtow to what he dictated was a proper use of their free time, he would punish them in some way at work. He was belligerent, cruel, and vindictive, doing whatever he could to embarrass and mock those who he deemed as disappointments to him.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Now anyone who has met Sarah knows she has a strong personality. She goes after what she wants and doesn’t take crap from anyone. She’s a go-getter who would rather blaze a trail than follow a well-worn path. So, why did she settle for this type of environment? Simple. It was accepted by those around her and she was convinced she needed what this employer had to offer. It’s the same with anyone who finds themselves in this situation. They want to fit in, to be accepted, or they feel they won’t succeed without what the other person or group is holding over their head. Sarah didn’t need what this man promised, which wasn’t anything, really, except a job. Needless to say, we quickly rescued her from that environment and severed all ties with the people there.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /><a name='more'></a><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">I have to admit, I’m a little sensitive when it comes to these situations. It’s a form of bullying and I spent a portion of my middle school years being bullied by kids who thought they were tougher and better than me. Furthermore, as I grew up, I was involved in churches where the leadership tried to dictate every aspect of my life, controlling who I was supposed to be, and if I didn’t follow their rules, I was ostracized from their special groups and made to feel inferior. At the time, like Sarah with her job, I thought I needed what they were promising and in order to fit in I made sure to tow the legalistic line. It wasn’t until later in life that I finally said enough was enough and walked away from it all. I deserved better.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">The truth is we all deserve better.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">We deserve to be treated with respect and dignity. We deserve kindness, graciousness and even mercy. We deserve to be treated like decent human beings. We deserve a safe, decent work environment where the boss wants to nurture us to grow in our position, not micromanage our lives. We deserve a place where we have the ability to succeed, instead of someone always talking down to us and keeping us from achieving our potential.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">I was talking about this with someone the other day and they gave me a puzzled look. “You’re a writer. You work alone. Are the girls being mean to you again?”<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">No, the girls are awesome and do nothing except make me look good. And yes, while I do work alone for the most part, the majority of my time actually, I’m not always alone. There are conferences, author events, book signings, radio and video interviews, and writing groups. For an introverted group, we sure do meet up quite often. These events would also be considered my work environments––it says so on my tax deductions––and they can be peaceful or hostile, depending on the people in charge.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">For the past several years, the girls and I have striven to make sure our environments are peaceful. Those include our work, home, and even friendships. Now, that doesn’t mean there aren’t bad days at work or disagreements with friends. Things happen. However, what it means is that these are the exceptions and not the rule. We don’t need friendships that bring us negativity and life is too short to be stuck in a work environment that brings you fear rather than enjoyment. Likewise, as I travel this Indie path, I’m very conscious about who I want to be associated with and that includes events. While I am always striving to increase my readership, I won’t do it at the expense of that peace we have attained. I don’t want it bad enough to tolerate abuse or disrespect of any kind to me or one of the girls. You shouldn’t either. There are plenty of venues out there that offer a strong following without having to endure being screamed at and called names. I deserve better. So do you. People will treat you the way you allow them to treat you. Respect yourself enough to demand better from them. I believe you’re worth it and so should you. Bullies don’t need to be catered to; they need to be confronted. There is nothing anyone has that is worth allowing them to treat you in a demeaning manner. Trust me when I say you deserve better, because you do.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">~ ~ ~ ~ ~</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Until next time, keep chasing your fantasies!</b></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>Robbie Coxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13984616812301451319noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4241905912353051236.post-59152647595144338312016-05-03T13:23:00.002-04:002016-05-09T09:43:51.131-04:00Sex Is Not the Story <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OzeyJE3Rk0s/Vyjdnp63StI/AAAAAAAATFw/5XbDhcTEAlQ7TSfiVnGDobMix9rC8YjzwCLcB/s1600/OfficialCover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OzeyJE3Rk0s/Vyjdnp63StI/AAAAAAAATFw/5XbDhcTEAlQ7TSfiVnGDobMix9rC8YjzwCLcB/s320/OfficialCover.jpg" width="239" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I know, it sounds weird coming from an erotic writer, but it’s the truth. At least, it is for me. I don’t write sex stories. I write stories that have sex in them. To me, there is a difference. I’m not criticizing those that just write to share sex, because I love to read those stories, as well, and love it when the girls do. It tends to make for some steamy evenings. Still, those are not the stories I write. I want the sex to be a by-product of the tale I am trying to tell, not the other way around.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Furthermore, I don’t explore sex. I explore relationships. Again, not criticizing those who do. I prefer to see what makes certain people tick inside of specific situations. In <i><a href="http://amzn.to/1Phyg25" target="_blank">Losing Faith</a></i>, it wasn’t just the control Faith wanted to experience that I was exploring, but how the Greers responded within that exploration. It is also a learning experience to see how those around them responded to what was going on as personalities evolved and people were tossed into situations beyond their comfort level. Those are the stories I like to tell.<br /><a name='more'></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I also don’t want to rush the story. The extremely short story for 99 cents seems rampant, nowadays. I want more. I want to get to know my characters. I want to see where they travel on their journey. I could write a few quick stories with sex as the main character and toss them out there, but so far what I have seen is some pretty poor writing. I suppose it depends on what you are trying to do with your writing as to which course you take. Are you wanting to merely tell some stories and see your name in print, perhaps bought by friends and family? Or do you really want to be a writer who makes it on their creative course? Don’t rush your story because you want to see some money coming in. You’ll make more if you slow down and tell the full story, perfect your craft, and don’t cheat your readers.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I’ve read some books lately––short stories if I was going by size––that came across like a bad porn movie. I don’t want to write those stories. It is for that reason I hesitate to put “Erotic Novel” on my covers. I want to be seen more as a storyteller than a teller of sex stories. I want the sex in my books to be an expression of what is happening and not the reason for it. However, I don’t want people to be shocked, either, when they pick up any of the Rutherford Series and find what happens between the sheets is now taking place against the giant plate glass window. (You really should read <i><a href="http://amzn.to/1Phyg25" target="_blank">Losing Faith</a></i> to see what I am referring to.)</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I’m still fairly new at all of this and figuring a lot of things out. However, what I do know is that good writing takes time and the more you invest in a story, the more readers you will gain. This isn’t a high school creative writing class. This is your passion and love. Devote time to learning it and give it your all. Write your story, the one deep inside of you that just has to get out. If it has sex in it, don’t apologize. However, don’t force the scenes, either. Your characters will tell you when it’s time for the dirty deed to happen. Trust them. Trust your story.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;">~ ~ ~ ~ ~ </div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b><br /></b></i></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Until next time, keep chasing your fantasies!</b></i></div></div>Robbie Coxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13984616812301451319noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4241905912353051236.post-13420065110227851952014-09-02T16:28:00.000-04:002014-09-02T16:30:42.786-04:00Facebook Newsfeed Is Not News<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-H8L73VDUyes/UsHOOnOoOkI/AAAAAAAAIVQ/29vqaTNdAbg/s1600/184170_2103534841340_3932590_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-H8L73VDUyes/UsHOOnOoOkI/AAAAAAAAIVQ/29vqaTNdAbg/s1600/184170_2103534841340_3932590_n.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sometimes it feels just like this</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal">For that matter, most news stations, either. They’re a skewed commentary on a situation with distorted facts to keep you thinking a certain direction, which is more than likely far from the truth. That’s probably why it’s now called news and no longer known as journalism. However, it’s sad how much junk fills my Facebook status stream. It simply boggles the mind that someone shared it to begin with, but it does make it believable that the Salem witch trials could happen even today. Most of the time I don’t even think people read what they are sharing or watch the videos they are passing along. They just quickly share it because on the surface it falls in line with their prejudiced way of thinking. For some, Facebook is the only source of news they receive and, to be honest, that’s truly sad.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">It’s not new, however. Since the World Wide Web infiltrated our homes, gullible people have believed everything that came across the computer screen, no matter how ludicrous. People don’t check the validity of a story before passing it on. Furthermore, they don’t realize that all they are really doing is hindering the truth from getting out and that’s exactly the point behind the slanted story. It’s a diversion tactic to keep you focused in one direction so that you don’t notice what’s really happening elsewhere.</div><a name='more'></a><o:p></o:p><br /><div class="MsoNormal">Two of the biggest distractions online right now are racism and police brutality. Now, I know that racism still exists, but it’s not so much white against black as everyone against everyone. It’s also not as bad as it was decades ago or even as bad as they’re saying it is. Oh it may be in some areas, but overall, in the mainstream, it’s a war that is mostly over. Still, it is a word that can be thrown out there to distract the people from the real problem or used to keep people silent. Some know that if they cry racism, people will back off because they just don’t want to deal with it or be seen in that light. The truth is, we need to speak up and call foul. It’s like the bullying post I made a couple of weeks ago. It has become a flag waved at everything.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">It’s the same with the police brutality that’s being passed around. Yes, I know, some cops have a god-like personality and are complete dipshits with a badge. But not all of them. Hell, I’d wager that it’s not even the majority. What’s more, some of the videos I’ve seen, if I was the cop, I would have smacked the “abused victim” upside the head.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Stop passing around the bullshit! Check the facts and be informed. Stand up for what you believe and for the weak, but don’t add to the chaos. You’re not helping the situation, but rather adding to the madness and the distractions.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">And to be honest, you look like a paranoid moron. Like the boy who cried wolf, you will soon be ignored and when you finally do have some vital information to share, no one will listen. At that point, you’ve done your enemy’s job for them, because you’ve helped cause the apathy with so many false alarms.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Do you want to help your political party, country, race, gender, sexual orientation, or whatever it is you’re passionate about? Stop spreading the false negativity against the opposition. Instead, start sharing the positive truth about your cause and I assure you, you’ll get people’s attention. People need the positive more than they need the negative. We need the truth, not more clipped videos. Show us you’re serious by taking the time to do the research before you click share. Your posts will carry more weight and reach more people. Isn’t that the whole point?<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><br /><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">~ ~ ~ ~ ~<o:p></o:p></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">Did you enjoy what you read? &nbsp;Leave me a comment and then join me at <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Mess-That-Is-Me/158910737496018">The Mess that Is Me</a> on Facebook!</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">See what you've missed ~ <i><a href="http://www.themessthatisme.com/2014/08/the-florida-heat-comes-inside.html">The Florida Heat Comes Inside</a></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <i><a href="http://www.themessthatisme.com/2014/08/breaking-out-of-comfort-zone.html">Breaking Out of the Comfort Zone</a></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <i><a href="http://www.themessthatisme.com/2014/08/not-everything-is-bullying.html">Not Everything Is Bullying</a></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">Thanks for visiting The Mess! Keep chasing your dreams!</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-B_kOybcuLsE/U4jLFvQ6YvI/AAAAAAAANUc/QOTq_mhmgt4/s1600/unnamed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-B_kOybcuLsE/U4jLFvQ6YvI/AAAAAAAANUc/QOTq_mhmgt4/s1600/unnamed.jpg" height="137" width="320" /></a></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">Pick up a copy of one of my books today!</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Confused-Life-The-Mess-Steroids-ebook/dp/B00IORB91K/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1394036088&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=a+confused+%3Blife">A Confused Life</a></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/204939">Circle of Justice</a></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Reaping-Harvest-Warrior-Way-Robbie-ebook/dp/B00BQG3XTW/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1394036293&amp;sr=8-4&amp;keywords=reaping+the+harvest">Reaping the Harvest</a></i></div> <p><p><script src="http://connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js#xfbml=1"></script><fb:like href="http://www.themessthatisme.com/2014/09/facebook-newsfeed-is-not-news.html" show_faces="false" width="450" font=""></fb:like> <P><P><P><!-- Place this tag where you want the su badge to render --><su:badge layout="5"></su:badge> <!-- Place this snippet wherever appropriate --><script type="text/javascript"> (function() { var li = document.createElement('script'); li.type = 'text/javascript'; li.async = true; li.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https:' : 'http:') + '//platform.stumbleupon.com/1/widgets.js'; var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(li, s); })(); </script> <a href="//www.pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.themessthatisme.com%2F2014%2F09%2Ffacebook-newsfeed-is-not-news.html&media=http%3A%2F%2F3.bp.blogspot.com%2F-H8L73VDUyes%2FUsHOOnOoOkI%2FAAAAAAAAIVQ%2F29vqaTNdAbg%2Fs1600%2F184170_2103534841340_3932590_n.jpg&description=The%20Facebook%20Newsfeed%20Is%20Not%20News" data-pin-do="buttonPin" data-pin-config="above"><img src="//assets.pinterest.com/images/pidgets/pinit_fg_en_rect_gray_20.png" /></a><!-- Please call pinit.js only once per page --><script type="text/javascript" async src="//assets.pinterest.com/js/pinit.js"></script> <script src="//platform.linkedin.com/in.js" type="text/javascript"> lang: en_US </script><script type="IN/Share" data-url="http://www.themessthatisme.com/2014/09/facebook-newsfeed-is-not-news.html" data-counter="top"></script> Robbie Coxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13984616812301451319noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4241905912353051236.post-9457467101118885622014-08-25T16:38:00.003-04:002014-08-25T16:40:47.618-04:00The Florida Heat Comes Inside<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sx-Zlc0mlJw/U_ubtERxacI/AAAAAAAAPD8/KtP8ByC2eRU/s1600/20140823_070036_Android.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sx-Zlc0mlJw/U_ubtERxacI/AAAAAAAAPD8/KtP8ByC2eRU/s1600/20140823_070036_Android.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal">Last week was the week for gremlins, not that car of the sixties or seventies, but those tiny little creatures that like to sneak in and tear up perfectly fine machines. Friday morning, while taking Char to work, the electrical system of the new van decided to shut our van down. I couldn’t switch gears. I couldn’t steer. I couldn’t even get the key out of the ignition. We called the warranty people and had it towed for repairs. They don’t work weekends like the rest of the universe, so we’re still waiting.</div><a name='more'></a><o:p></o:p><br /><div class="MsoNormal">Saturday night, the toilet in the master bedroom decided it didn’t like its job anymore and walked out in the middle of a job. I popped the lid to see if I could coax it back to work However, I noticed this wasn’t your basic toilet employee, but rather a CEO-like contraption, where you have to lift the lever for number one and lower it for number two. I suppose it is meant to save water, but it made it impossible for a quick fix until another part could be purchased. I ripped it out and put a new old-fashioned system in. If I want to save water, I’ll do what my dad did and put a brick in the tank so less water is required to fill it.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-H6tWXuqem_8/U_ub47mj4SI/AAAAAAAAPEc/Ui1W7EPiM2M/s1600/20140823_070949_Android.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-H6tWXuqem_8/U_ub47mj4SI/AAAAAAAAPEc/Ui1W7EPiM2M/s1600/20140823_070949_Android.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">However, the break down that hurt the worse and caused the most distraction occurred Saturday morning when our air conditioning gave up the ghost. The morning started off normal. Well, not exactly normal. You see, it was Teri’s birthday weekend, so the girls and I pried ourselves out of bed at five-frickin’-thirty in the morning and drove over to the beach to watch the sun rise. For those of you who have never ventured out this early for the sole purpose of watching the sun wake up, I think it’s high time you did. Sunrises and sunsets are never the same and always take your breath away while capturing the heart. It was a gorgeous way to start the day. At least we started well.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XUsP7J_guhQ/U_ucdGP27EI/AAAAAAAAPE0/fT9RxdV_SYc/s1600/10628045_10203487003113364_3863887046502788796_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XUsP7J_guhQ/U_ucdGP27EI/AAAAAAAAPE0/fT9RxdV_SYc/s1600/10628045_10203487003113364_3863887046502788796_n.jpg" height="320" width="180" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal">Afterwards, we ventured to a small café on the beach for breakfast and mimosas. Nothing says it’s going to be a great day like alcohol for breakfast. Or perhaps this was just some liquid fortitude for the day ahead. I should have started with whisky. Either way, it wasn’t a bad beginning. It was when we returned home that things began to take a turn for the worse.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">I’m not sure what you keep your air conditioner set at, but during the day ours is at 78 degrees, because the girls would kill me if it was any higher, electric bill be damned. At night, we keep it a little lower, because we like it colder while we sleep. This past Saturday, however, after we returned home from our morning excursion, we noticed the temperature in the house was at eighty-one. Just looking at that giant number made me break out in a sweat. Then, when I remembered we had 30 people coming over that night for Teri’s birthday party, I began to melt, I wanted to soak myself in the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">We were already scheduled to attend Char and Sarah’s company picnic and then we had reservations for dinner with six of our friends. I didn’t have time for this! I am too busy for a mechanical failure.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">I turned several buttons, including flipping the breakers off and then on again–my version of kicking it. It wasn’t frozen, so I was hoping it just needed a reset of sorts. We crossed our fingers and went to the girls’ company picnic. Whoever has company picnics in August should really have their positions reconsidered. While the event was well planned and a lot of fun, standing outside in ninety-six degree weather is not a way to build company morale. At least not my morale. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">As we neared the front door upon our return home; we were praying to the air condition gods that it was working.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">It wasn’t.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">We knew the minute we opened the door as a wall of hot, humid air greeted us. This day was taking a drastic turn. I would rather be too cold than too hot, because, as my mother always said, “I can always put more clothes on. You can only take so much off.”</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kZKR3_g9aRY/U_ucpSWknHI/AAAAAAAAPE8/Q3c1LloPJRU/s1600/20140823_135123_Android.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kZKR3_g9aRY/U_ucpSWknHI/AAAAAAAAPE8/Q3c1LloPJRU/s1600/20140823_135123_Android.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The human Foosball table.</td></tr></tbody></table><o:p></o:p><br /><div class="MsoNormal">A quick call went out to the A/C guy with much begging and pleading. He was there in fifteen minutes and in another thirty the air kicked on. There was great rejoicing in the land. We watched as the thermostat went from 87 degrees down to 86 and then to 85. It was working! Just the fact that it had started dropping seemed to cool us off and raise our spirits. We went about our business, getting showered and dressed for dinner.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Y9XqQEpnWDE/U_udHKEj5fI/AAAAAAAAPFE/zWgRYfJ2tTA/s1600/20140823_180430_Android.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Y9XqQEpnWDE/U_udHKEj5fI/AAAAAAAAPFE/zWgRYfJ2tTA/s1600/20140823_180430_Android.jpg" height="320" width="180" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oyster shots with vodka</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal">After a while, when it should have reached 78 by my calculations, I checked it. It was still at 85. It shouldn’t have been at 85. Then I watched as it climbed to 86 and then to 87. Moods darkened like storm clouds as another call went out. And a text message. No answers came back. We didn’t have time to listen even if they had as we were supposed to be somewhere at 5:30. At least the car had air conditioning and, hopefully, the restaurant. We left the unit on in case the guy returned while we were at dinner and once again prayed.</div><o:p></o:p><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">The air conditioning gods are stubborn gods.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">At this point, with thirty people about to swarm our 2,000 square foot oven, there was nothing to do except throw open the windows, turn the fans on high, and smile big.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hk2SB24453k/U_udR6JKyrI/AAAAAAAAPFM/cGj8cvkxuv0/s1600/20140824_122342_Android.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hk2SB24453k/U_udR6JKyrI/AAAAAAAAPFM/cGj8cvkxuv0/s1600/20140824_122342_Android.jpg" height="320" width="180" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It has a tough job ahead of it</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal">The party was still a great success. People mingled, we took dips in the pool, and drank. A lot. By the time the last person left at 2:30, it was still hot, but we were too exhausted to care. We had pulled together and not only survived the day, but also thrived throughout the night. Sunday, a friend brought over and installed a portable air unit, so we were able to have one room that was kept semi-cool. We spent the day in the pool and out by the grill, every once in a while popping into that cool sanctuary for a brief respite from the heat. We love Florida and can usually deal with the heat, but that’s because we have the interiors to escape to when the exterior world becomes a sweat rag. We love being outside. We just need to know that there is an escape possible once in a while.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">As I said, we not only survived, we also thrived. When tempers became frayed, one of us would pull the others back with a smile.&nbsp; We all had our moments of impatience and tension due to the heat, but overall we made the best of a miserable situation, because, as they say, “misery loves company.” Yet, when you love the company you are with, misery becomes joy, even sweaty joy. Surround yourself with loyal, loving people and you’ll always make it out of any situation. I am blessed to be surrounded by the best.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><br /><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">~ ~ ~ ~ ~<o:p></o:p></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">Did you enjoy what you read? &nbsp;Leave me a comment and then join me at <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Mess-That-Is-Me/158910737496018">The Mess that Is Me</a> on Facebook!</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">See what you've missed ~ <i><a href="http://www.themessthatisme.com/2014/08/breaking-out-of-comfort-zone.html">Breaking Out of the Comfort Zone</a></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <i><a href="http://www.themessthatisme.com/2014/08/not-everything-is-bullying.html">Not Everything Is Bullying</a></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <i><a href="http://www.themessthatisme.com/2014/08/its-all-about-mindset.html">It's All about Mindset</a></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">Thanks for visiting The Mess! Keep chasing your dreams!</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hDZ32xMb5Yw/U4OaM3qviyI/AAAAAAAANS4/8RmqIvcop4E/s1600/unnamed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hDZ32xMb5Yw/U4OaM3qviyI/AAAAAAAANS4/8RmqIvcop4E/s1600/unnamed.jpg" height="137" width="320" /></a></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">Pick up a copy of one of my books today!</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Confused-Life-The-Mess-Steroids-ebook/dp/B00IORB91K/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1394036088&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=a+confused+%3Blife">A Confused Life</a></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/204939">Circle of Justice</a></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Reaping-Harvest-Warrior-Way-Robbie-ebook/dp/B00BQG3XTW/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1394036293&amp;sr=8-4&amp;keywords=reaping+the+harvest">Reaping the Harvest</a></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">~~~~~</div><p><p><script src="http://connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js#xfbml=1"></script><fb:like href="http://www.themessthatisme.com/2014/08/the-florida-heat-comes-inside.html" show_faces="false" width="450" font=""></fb:like> <P><P><P><!-- Place this tag where you want the su badge to render --><su:badge layout="5"></su:badge> <!-- Place this snippet wherever appropriate --><script type="text/javascript"> (function() { var li = document.createElement('script'); li.type = 'text/javascript'; li.async = true; li.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https:' : 'http:') + '//platform.stumbleupon.com/1/widgets.js'; var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(li, s); })(); </script> <a href="//www.pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.themessthatisme.com%2F2014%2F08%2Fthe-florida-heat-comes-inside.html&media=http%3A%2F%2F3.bp.blogspot.com%2F-sx-Zlc0mlJw%2FU_ubtERxacI%2FAAAAAAAAPD8%2FKtP8ByC2eRU%2Fs1600%2F20140823_070036_Android.jpg&description=The%20Florida%20Heat%20Comes%20Inside" data-pin-do="buttonPin" data-pin-config="above"><img src="//assets.pinterest.com/images/pidgets/pinit_fg_en_rect_gray_20.png" /></a><!-- Please call pinit.js only once per page --><script type="text/javascript" async src="//assets.pinterest.com/js/pinit.js"></script> <script src="//platform.linkedin.com/in.js" type="text/javascript"> lang: en_US </script><script type="IN/Share" data-url="http://www.themessthatisme.com/2014/08/the-florida-heat-comes-inside.html" data-counter="top"></script>Robbie Coxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13984616812301451319noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4241905912353051236.post-38455335327647916582014-08-18T14:00:00.001-04:002014-08-18T14:04:47.021-04:00Breaking Out of the Comfort Zone<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6heqqE8sJIQ/TxAx-oQssRI/AAAAAAAAA5Q/49MmxOgz484/s1600/HPIM0082.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6heqqE8sJIQ/TxAx-oQssRI/AAAAAAAAA5Q/49MmxOgz484/s1600/HPIM0082.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">But I'm comfortable</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal">The Comfort Zone ~ a safe place where we have fun, feel confident and safe, and can pretend we’re really accomplishing our dreams. The truth of the matter is that dreams are accomplished outside of our comfort zone, where we are nervous about taking the risk and exposing ourselves–and our fears– to the world. We don’t always feel confident. Most of the time we’re too nervous to know we’re having fun and we leave the world of pretend for the reality of do or die. The time for talking is over. It’s now time to muster up the guts and jump. However, you don’t need to drop blindly into those deep waters.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">During your stay in the comfort zone, you should use that security to build the skills and strengths you’re going to need to finally break past those barriers. The more knowledge you acquire and abilities you develop, the more confident you will feel stepping out. You won’t know everything, because there is quite a bit we learn as we move forward. That’s growth. However, we can gain a solid foundation upon which to build. This way, you may wobble, but you won’t fall down; you won’t be overwhelmed. That is one of the main feelings that keeps us in our comfort zones, the feeling of being overwhelmed as we try something new.</div><a name='more'></a><o:p></o:p><br /><div class="MsoNormal">I was safe and secure writing stories for my filing cabinet. I didn’t risk anything. However, by practicing I grew as a writer, so that by the time I did publish my stories, was willing to risk public criticism, I felt a little better about exposing myself. I didn’t have it all down pat. I still don’t and I still get nervous as hell with each piece I produce. Yet, I do have a stronger foundation, which is allowing me to risk more, to write about things that takes me out of my comfort zone and into new genres.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">It’s the same with anything. Once you make the decision to push yourself out of your comfort zone, making the decision that it’s not really safe to stay there, but rather stagnant, you will gain the courage to reach for other goals. You’ll no longer be comfortable playing it safe. You’ll desire more, to achieve more, to reach greater heights, to see your dreams become a true reality.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">In order to do this, you have to be your biggest motivator, your biggest cheerleader. What’s in it for you if you step out of your comfort zone? To see your name on book jacket? To go for that job promotion? Maybe it’s to start your own business or change careers. Perhaps it’s to go back to school so you can do all of those things. Figure out what your benefit is–more money, security, a warm, fuzzy feeling–and keep those motivators before you as you develop whatever it is you need to step out and go for it. Then, make a plan to have something solid to look at over and over. Make sure you write it down. Don’t worry if it changes. Most good plans do. However, it offers you a starting point, a path to walk until another path comes along.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">It’s worth it to step out of your comfort zone. With a working knowledge of what you want and a written plan to guide you, you can motivate yourself into the deeper waters of the unknown. The waves will be rougher, but don’t worry, the ride is well worth it.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><br /><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">~ ~ ~ ~ ~<o:p></o:p></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">Did you enjoy what you read? &nbsp;Leave me a comment and then join me at <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Mess-That-Is-Me/158910737496018">The Mess that Is Me </a>on Facebook!</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">See what you've missed ~ <i><a href="http://www.themessthatisme.com/2014/08/not-everything-is-bullying.html">Not Everything Is Bullying</a></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;<i><a href="http://www.themessthatisme.com/2014/08/its-all-about-mindset.html">It's All about Mindset</a></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;<i><a href="http://www.themessthatisme.com/2014/07/the-extortion-of-gratuity.html">The Extortion of Gratuity</a></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">Thanks for visiting The Mess! Keep chasing your dreams!</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-B_kOybcuLsE/U4jLFvQ6YvI/AAAAAAAANUc/QOTq_mhmgt4/s1600/unnamed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-B_kOybcuLsE/U4jLFvQ6YvI/AAAAAAAANUc/QOTq_mhmgt4/s1600/unnamed.jpg" height="137" width="320" /></a></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">Pick up a copy of one of my books today!</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Confused-Life-The-Mess-Steroids-ebook/dp/B00IORB91K/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1394036088&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=a+confused+%3Blife">A Confused Life</a></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/204939">Circle of Justice</a></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Reaping-Harvest-Warrior-Way-Robbie-ebook/dp/B00BQG3XTW/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1394036293&amp;sr=8-4&amp;keywords=reaping+the+harvest">Reaping the Harvest</a></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">~~~~~</div><p><p><script src="http://connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js#xfbml=1"></script><fb:like href="http://www.themessthatisme.com/2014/08/breaking-out-of-comfort-zone.html" show_faces="false" width="450" font=""></fb:like> <P><P><P><!-- Place this tag where you want the su badge to render --><su:badge layout="5"></su:badge> <!-- Place this snippet wherever appropriate --><script type="text/javascript"> (function() { var li = document.createElement('script'); li.type = 'text/javascript'; li.async = true; li.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https:' : 'http:') + '//platform.stumbleupon.com/1/widgets.js'; var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(li, s); })(); </script> <a href="//www.pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.themessthatisme.com%2F2014%2F08%2Fbreaking-out-of-comfort-zone.html&media=http%3A%2F%2F3.bp.blogspot.com%2F-6heqqE8sJIQ%2FTxAx-oQssRI%2FAAAAAAAAA5Q%2F49MmxOgz484%2Fs1600%2FHPIM0082.jpg&description=Breaking%20Out%20of%20the%20Comfort%20Zone" data-pin-do="buttonPin" data-pin-config="above"><img src="//assets.pinterest.com/images/pidgets/pinit_fg_en_rect_gray_20.png" /></a><!-- Please call pinit.js only once per page --><script type="text/javascript" async src="//assets.pinterest.com/js/pinit.js"></script> <script src="//platform.linkedin.com/in.js" type="text/javascript"> lang: en_US </script><script type="IN/Share" data-url="http://www.themessthatisme.com/2014/08/breaking-out-of-comfort-zone.html" data-counter="top"></script>Robbie Coxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13984616812301451319noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4241905912353051236.post-64138970910710219172014-08-11T11:03:00.000-04:002014-08-11T11:05:43.589-04:00Not Everything Is Bullying<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-D3sSv-uRxpo/UE3wTVAueaI/AAAAAAAABvE/d4i5-F9aqUM/s1600/freeimage-3861986.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-D3sSv-uRxpo/UE3wTVAueaI/AAAAAAAABvE/d4i5-F9aqUM/s1600/freeimage-3861986.jpg" height="320" width="211" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stop bullying</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal">If you’ve followed the Mess for any length of time, then you know that I’m pretty vocal about bullying. It has always been a crime with lasting scars that really needs to be stopped. A friend shared on their Facebook that instead of crying about bullies, we need to teach our children to stand up for themselves. It’s not always that simple. Many kids do stand up for themselves, but many times it doesn’t change anything and sometimes even makes it worse. My response was that they should teach their kid not to be a dick or when that bullied child goes to the school with a gun to stand up for himself you will wish you had spent more time teaching the&nbsp; bully how to be a decent human being.</div><a name='more'></a><o:p></o:p><br /><div class="MsoNormal">Bullying is a major problem and not only in schools or just among young people. However, it has also become a cry for anything anyone does not like or every type of aggressive behavior. Not everything that goes against us falls under the term bullying. Before we take a look at some of the misconceptions, let’s first look at what bullying really is. For something to be classified as bullying it needs to be “a recurring and deliberate abuse of power,” an act “with the intention of harming others to gain even more power, real or imagined.” It happens over and over. It’s one person or group of persons being mean and hurting or humiliating another person in order to feel better about themselves and to appear more powerful. It happens in schools, workplaces, social organizations, and sadly, even in families. It’s not only wrong on so many levels, but it can have tragic and sometimes fatal results. It is not a rite of passage or a part of growing up. It’s a crime and the bullies should be punished.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Now, let’s take a look at what bullying is not.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">First, they are not isolated incidents, such as someone bumping into you in the hall or even a single act of harassment or aggressiveness. Mean people aren’t always bullies. They’re just mean. Just because someone intimidates you once doesn’t make them a bully. It means they are more aggressive than you are. Remember, bullying is a recurring act.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Next, just because someone doesn’t like you or doesn’t invite you to some event, doesn’t make them a bully. We don’t have to like everyone nor do we have to agree with everyone. You can’t be a part of every club or group that comes around and you shouldn’t want to. Rejection is not being bullied, otherwise writers and artists are bullied on a daily basis with the pink slips that come in the mail. It is, however, people knowing who and what they like and following that journey to create their personal world. You may not like it, but they aren’t bullying you. Even expressing those thoughts and feelings does not make someone a bully. It simply means they have an opinion and were not intimidated to share it.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Furthermore, being on opposing sides of an argument doesn’t make someone a bully, even if you lose the argument. People disagree all of the time and have verbal bouts. That <i>is</i>part of life. Learn how to argue successfully and perhaps you’ll win more often.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">And finally, when someone is assertive, it doesn’t mean that they are being a bully. It means they know what they want and are willing to push for it. People need to be more assertive and they can be without hurting others. When a child wants to play a certain way and makes everyone else go along with it, that’s assertive. If the other kids say no and the child then punches them or calls them names until they say yes every time it happens, then that is bullying. You can teach your child to be assertive without being a bully. I can be assertive. I know what I want and what I will and will not tolerate. Sticking to those things doesn’t make me a bully. It makes me determined and focused.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">With people waving the word about to describe anything and everything that rankles their skin, it diminishes the focus of the real problem. Bullying will then resemble the boy who cried wolf and sooner or later someone will get hurt because no one listened when the real bully appeared. Know the difference so that together we can stand up to bullies.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><br /><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">~ ~ ~ ~ ~<o:p></o:p></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">Did you enjoy what you read? &nbsp;Leave me a comment and then join me at <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Mess-That-Is-Me/158910737496018">The Mess that Is Me </a>on Facebook!</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">See what you've missed ~ <i><a href="http://www.themessthatisme.com/2014/08/its-all-about-mindset.html">It's All about Mindset</a></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <i><a href="http://www.themessthatisme.com/2014/07/the-extortion-of-gratuity.html">The Extortion of Gratuity</a></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <i><a href="http://www.themessthatisme.com/2014/07/the-look-down-generation.html">The Look Down Generation</a></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">Thanks for visiting The Mess! Keep chasing your dreams!</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-B_kOybcuLsE/U4jLFvQ6YvI/AAAAAAAANUc/QOTq_mhmgt4/s1600/unnamed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-B_kOybcuLsE/U4jLFvQ6YvI/AAAAAAAANUc/QOTq_mhmgt4/s1600/unnamed.jpg" height="137" width="320" /></a></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">Pick up a copy of one of my books today!</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Confused-Life-The-Mess-Steroids-ebook/dp/B00IORB91K/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1394036088&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=a+confused+%3Blife">A Confused Life</a></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/204939">Circle of Justice</a></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Reaping-Harvest-Warrior-Way-Robbie-ebook/dp/B00BQG3XTW/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1394036293&amp;sr=8-4&amp;keywords=reaping+the+harvest">Reaping the Harvest</a></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">~~~~~</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><p><p><script src="http://connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js#xfbml=1"></script><fb:like href="http://www.themessthatisme.com/2014/08/not-everything-is-bullying.html" show_faces="false" width="450" font=""></fb:like> <P><P><P><!-- Place this tag where you want the su badge to render --><su:badge layout="5"></su:badge> <!-- Place this snippet wherever appropriate --><script type="text/javascript"> (function() { var li = document.createElement('script'); li.type = 'text/javascript'; li.async = true; li.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https:' : 'http:') + '//platform.stumbleupon.com/1/widgets.js'; var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(li, s); })(); </script> <a href="//www.pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.themessthatisme.com%2F2014%2F08%2Fnot-everything-is-bullying.html&media=http%3A%2F%2F4.bp.blogspot.com%2F-D3sSv-uRxpo%2FUE3wTVAueaI%2FAAAAAAAABvE%2Fd4i5-F9aqUM%2Fs1600%2Ffreeimage-3861986.jpg&description=Not%20Everything%20is%20Bullying" data-pin-do="buttonPin" data-pin-config="above"><img src="//assets.pinterest.com/images/pidgets/pinit_fg_en_rect_gray_20.png" /></a><!-- Please call pinit.js only once per page --><script type="text/javascript" async src="//assets.pinterest.com/js/pinit.js"></script> <script src="//platform.linkedin.com/in.js" type="text/javascript"> lang: en_US </script><script type="IN/Share" data-url="http://www.themessthatisme.com/2014/08/not-everything-is-bullying.html" data-counter="top"></script> Robbie Coxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13984616812301451319noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4241905912353051236.post-90545354793302874332014-08-04T09:06:00.000-04:002014-08-04T09:09:14.171-04:00It’s All about Mindset<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SqxhTINDqZI/U4jMAaVlpDI/AAAAAAAANU8/ZEPMg-wBCc8/s1600/20140530_140019_resized.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SqxhTINDqZI/U4jMAaVlpDI/AAAAAAAANU8/ZEPMg-wBCc8/s1600/20140530_140019_resized.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal">Recently, we took our annual family vacation. This is different than a trip the girls and I take or one of our getaways with friends. This vacation involves all of us–the girls and I, all of the children and their significant others and an “adopted” child or two. A destination is picked, a house rented and then the planning begins. This year, we visited historic Savannah. This has actually become one of my favorite locales–outside of Disney, of course–and I’m even considering it as a backdrop for some of my stories.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Now, part of the reason I love the historic district so much is that you park your car and walk everywhere. For a man who hates traffic, it’s the perfect area. Everything we need is right there, including a grocery store. And the crazy part is I look forward to walking each day. We’d wake up, have breakfast and then go exploring. We averaged ten miles a day just in that little area that takes about fifteen to twenty minutes to cross. We also had the added hurdle of avoiding tour groups and trolleys. By the end of the day, our legs were sore and we were exhausted, but it felt great.</div><a name='more'></a><o:p></o:p><br /><div class="MsoNormal">It’s the same when we go to Disney. We are there from open to close and, as anyone who has been to an amusement park can tell you, you spend 80% of your time either walking or waiting in line. Our muscles ache; we’re tired, but we’re not complaining because we’re doing what we want to do with people we want to do it with. Char even has a pedometer she wears on our trips that counts our steps and brags about how much we’ve walked as we’re leaving the park. It’s only then that my body screams what an idiot I am.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fxsW0B5l1Wg/U48PQq1dL0I/AAAAAAAANc4/hfRpdPSQj8s/s1600/DSC06384.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fxsW0B5l1Wg/U48PQq1dL0I/AAAAAAAANc4/hfRpdPSQj8s/s1600/DSC06384.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a>However, on a normal morning as I am lacing up my walking shoes, my whole body fights against the exercise I am about to force upon it. Two minutes into my walk and I already want to turn around and go home. Five minutes in and my legs start telling me they’re about to go numb and fall off. Even with music blaring in my ears, I have to constantly give myself a pep talk that people walk all the time and survive. I scold myself when a little old lady struts past me and fight the urge to take her out. It really is pathetic what I go through making myself exercise.</div><o:p></o:p><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Yet, it’s because I don’t want to do it. My ever-fattening belly isn’t enough motivation to simply walk the fifteen minutes to the beach and back again. I wear myself out just getting out the door. As a matter of fact, my legs hurt just writing about it.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">But it’s all in my mind. My brain associates walking around Savannah and Disney as an adventure, something to be enjoyed. It sees walking for exercise as, well, exercise, something to be endured. One is a pleasure while the other is a chore.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">It’s the same with everything we do. How we view it will determine its effect on our body and spirit. Go into something with a negative mindset and you’re more than likely to get negative results. However, go in with a positive outlook and you’ve already overcome half of the battle. Now I just have to make myself positive about exercise.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><br /><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">~ ~ ~ ~ ~<o:p></o:p></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">Did you enjoy what you read? &nbsp;Leave me a comment and then join me at <i><a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Mess-That-Is-Me/158910737496018">The Mess that Is Me</a></i> on Facebook!</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">See what you've missed ~ <i><a href="http://www.themessthatisme.com/2014/07/the-extortion-of-gratuity.html">The Extortion of Gratuity</a>&nbsp;</i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <i><a href="http://www.themessthatisme.com/2014/07/the-look-down-generation.html">The Look Down Generation</a></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <i><a href="http://www.themessthatisme.com/2014/07/full-room-to-empty-echo.html">Full Room to Empty Echo</a></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">Thanks for visiting The Mess! Keep chasing your dreams!</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-B_kOybcuLsE/U4jLFvQ6YvI/AAAAAAAANUc/QOTq_mhmgt4/s1600/unnamed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-B_kOybcuLsE/U4jLFvQ6YvI/AAAAAAAANUc/QOTq_mhmgt4/s1600/unnamed.jpg" height="137" width="320" /></a></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">Pick up a copy of one of my books today!</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Confused-Life-The-Mess-Steroids-ebook/dp/B00IORB91K/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1394036088&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=a+confused+%3Blife">A Confused Life</a></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/204939">Circle of Justice</a></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Reaping-Harvest-Warrior-Way-Robbie-ebook/dp/B00BQG3XTW/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1394036293&amp;sr=8-4&amp;keywords=reaping+the+harvest">Reaping the Harvest</a></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">~~~~~</div><p><p><script src="http://connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js#xfbml=1"></script><fb:like href="http://www.themessthatisme.com/2014/08/its-all-about-mindset.html" show_faces="false" width="450" font=""></fb:like> <P><P><P><!-- Place this tag where you want the su badge to render --><su:badge layout="5"></su:badge> <!-- Place this snippet wherever appropriate --><script type="text/javascript"> (function() { var li = document.createElement('script'); li.type = 'text/javascript'; li.async = true; li.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https:' : 'http:') + '//platform.stumbleupon.com/1/widgets.js'; var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(li, s); })(); </script> <a href="//www.pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.themessthatisme.com%2F2014%2F08%2Fits-all-about-mindset.html&media=http%3A%2F%2F1.bp.blogspot.com%2F-SqxhTINDqZI%2FU4jMAaVlpDI%2FAAAAAAAANU8%2FZEPMg-wBCc8%2Fs1600%2F20140530_140019_resized.jpg&description=It%26%23x27%3Bs%20All%20about%20Mindset" data-pin-do="buttonPin" data-pin-config="above"><img src="//assets.pinterest.com/images/pidgets/pinit_fg_en_rect_gray_20.png" /></a><!-- Please call pinit.js only once per page --><script type="text/javascript" async src="//assets.pinterest.com/js/pinit.js"></script> <script src="//platform.linkedin.com/in.js" type="text/javascript"> lang: en_US </script><script type="IN/Share" data-url="http://www.themessthatisme.com/2014/08/its-all-about-mindset.html" data-counter="top"></script> Robbie Coxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13984616812301451319noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4241905912353051236.post-52422713321341195802014-07-28T13:45:00.000-04:002014-07-28T13:49:40.613-04:00The Extortion of Gratuity<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3iN-Iy903CM/U9aMALVzoQI/AAAAAAAAOgo/ktzKhy_pTVk/s1600/20140728_132844.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3iN-Iy903CM/U9aMALVzoQI/AAAAAAAAOgo/ktzKhy_pTVk/s1600/20140728_132844.jpg" height="320" width="180" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal">For most of my thirty years in the work force I have worked for tips and for the most part I made a great living doing it. Of course, there were always those times I received a tip that just left me shaking my head at the inconsiderate nature of people. I mean, a fifteen cent tip is more of an insult than not leaving a tip at all. It’s rude and offensive and the server will remember you in the future. Why piss off the person who handles your food?<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">However, as much as I have grumbled in the past about lousy tippers, the act of tipping is based upon the person actually doing it. It is a reward for great service. Since I have worked for tips before and know that feeling, I tend to tip more than I should, even if the service wasn’t exactly worth it. It has been an extreme case when I have left a poor tip or not tip at all and in those cases the server had completely pissed me off. At that point, however, they’re lucky I haven’t tried to have them fired.</div><a name='more'></a><o:p></o:p><br /><div class="MsoNormal">Over the last few years, though, a new trend has started to emerge, one that I am not in agreement with. Now, they want to tell me what I<i> did</i> just tip my server. I don’t even get a say in it! Oh, I could tip more if I felt so generous, but I cannot tip less no matter how bad our server was. It started out with suggestions and usually they gave you three options–15%, 18%, or 20%. That’s not too bad and I can understand the necessity for the suggestions. There are people out there who have trouble with basic math and, therefore, find it difficult to figure out what to leave as a proper tip and, after all, it’s only a suggestion. It’s not mandatory. When you tell me what I just tipped you after my meal is complete, then that is all you will receive from me–period. I’m also not likely to return to your establishment and will tell everyone I know of the hidden charge. And before you say that it is not a hidden charge, allow me to call bullshit. You put it on my bill and <i>made</i>me pay it. You didn’t ask. You didn’t suggest. You didn’t give me the chance remove it and put something else on there. That’s not a tip; that’s a charge.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">I understand that not everyone tips properly. Some may not even tip at all. Still, that’s the risk of the profession and, quite honestly, as one who has worked in that profession, I know that the great outweighs the good which then outweighs the bad. I know that while some customers may suck at leaving a gratuity, most are more than fair. If a restaurant forces customers to tip a certain amount whether they wish to or not, then that needs to be posted in large letters right up front, so that people are forewarned. It also needs to have its designation hanged from tip or gratuity to commission or extortion, because really we are being extorted to pay our server a commission of our meal for doing their job. It is no longer about me being grateful to them for excellent service. There also needs to be a guarantee that my server is going to be the best damn waiter or waitress in the world and not some forgetful twit that I have to keep reminding to fill my water glass.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">I think they have forgotten that the word gratuity goes along with grateful. You cannot force someone to be grateful and appreciative. You also should not be allowed to determine <i>how </i>grateful I am. Putting the tip on my bill for me is like charging me for a meal I didn’t eat. At that point it is not a gratuity but theft. I didn’t agree to it and, to be honest, you just lost money I would have gladly surrendered.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Employers, if you don’t want to pay your staff a decent wage and thus force them to live on tips and the generosity of others, that’s up to you and that’s fine. However, do not force me to make up your deficiency and extort the generosity out of me. You’ll lose in the end.<o:p></o:p></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">For those who work for tips, give great service and I’ll leave a great tip. I can be grateful. However, I will not be extorted.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">~ ~ ~ ~ ~</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">Did you enjoy what you read? &nbsp;Leave me a comment and then join me at <i><a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Mess-That-Is-Me/158910737496018">The Mess that Is Me</a></i> on Facebook!</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">See what you've missed ~ <i><a href="http://www.themessthatisme.com/2014/07/the-look-down-generation.html">The Look Down Generation</a></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <i><a href="http://www.themessthatisme.com/2014/07/full-room-to-empty-echo.html">Full Room to Empty Echo</a></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <i><a href="http://www.themessthatisme.com/2014/07/four-stars-for-between-world-by.html">Four Stars for The Between World</a></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">Thanks for visiting The Mess! Keep chasing your dreams!</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-B_kOybcuLsE/U4jLFvQ6YvI/AAAAAAAANUc/QOTq_mhmgt4/s1600/unnamed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-B_kOybcuLsE/U4jLFvQ6YvI/AAAAAAAANUc/QOTq_mhmgt4/s1600/unnamed.jpg" height="137" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">Pick up a copy of one of my books today!</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Confused-Life-The-Mess-Steroids-ebook/dp/B00IORB91K/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1394036088&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=a+confused+%3Blife">A Confused Life</a></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/204939">Circle of Justice</a></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Reaping-Harvest-Warrior-Way-Robbie-ebook/dp/B00BQG3XTW/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1394036293&amp;sr=8-4&amp;keywords=reaping+the+harvest">Reaping the Harvest</a></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><p><p><script src="http://connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js#xfbml=1"></script><fb:like href="http://www.themessthatisme.com/2014/07/the-extortion-of-gratuity.html" show_faces="false" width="450" font=""></fb:like> <P><P><P><!-- Place this tag where you want the su badge to render --><su:badge layout="5"></su:badge> <!-- Place this snippet wherever appropriate --><script type="text/javascript"> (function() { var li = document.createElement('script'); li.type = 'text/javascript'; li.async = true; li.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https:' : 'http:') + '//platform.stumbleupon.com/1/widgets.js'; var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(li, s); })(); </script> <a href="//www.pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.themessthatisme.com%2F2014%2F07%2Fthe-extortion-of-gratuity.html&media=http%3A%2F%2F4.bp.blogspot.com%2F-3iN-Iy903CM%2FU9aMALVzoQI%2FAAAAAAAAOgo%2FktzKhy_pTVk%2Fs1600%2F20140728_132844.jpg&description=The%20Extortion%20of%20Gratuity" data-pin-do="buttonPin" data-pin-config="above"><img src="//assets.pinterest.com/images/pidgets/pinit_fg_en_rect_gray_20.png" /></a><!-- Please call pinit.js only once per page --><script type="text/javascript" async src="//assets.pinterest.com/js/pinit.js"></script> <script src="//platform.linkedin.com/in.js" type="text/javascript"> lang: en_US </script><script type="IN/Share" data-url="http://www.themessthatisme.com/2014/07/the-extortion-of-gratuity.html" data-counter="top"></script>Robbie Coxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13984616812301451319noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4241905912353051236.post-5261015350706550062014-07-23T12:28:00.000-04:002014-07-23T12:32:44.164-04:00The Look Down Generation<div class="MsoNormal"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GY1y98FFeMg/UQAgfy9u7yI/AAAAAAAAENE/MCArBxsspk4/s1600/photo2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GY1y98FFeMg/UQAgfy9u7yI/AAAAAAAAENE/MCArBxsspk4/s1600/photo2.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>The Look Down Generation. It’s what people are calling the young people today, but really it spans several generations as more and more people grab hold of technology and all of its gadgets. You see, it has nothing to do with low self-esteem or a bad case of shyness. It has <i>everything</i> to do with the smart phone or iPad that seems to be glued to everyone’s fingers. Their neck is bent at a 45 degree angle as they stare at the screen catching up on Facebook or crushing candy. They rarely look up.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Furthermore, it doesn’t matter where they are or even what they are doing. They could be riding in a car full of people or even driving, sitting at a dinner table whether at home or in a restaurant, or just walking along the sidewalk, destination in mind, but the journey ignored. The contraption is in their hands and their fingers are pressing keys frantically.<br /><a name='more'></a><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />And they’re missing the beauty of life all around them. This morning Char and I drove over the causeway from the beach to the mainland. Off to our right we were able to admire several dolphins as they frolicked in the Indian River. The majority of people would have missed this beautiful sight because their noses would be bent down at their phones and, to be honest, it wouldn’t matter if they were the driver or the passenger. When we take the interstate home from a day at Disney, there are deer all along the road. Again, most people will miss the opportunity to see them. There are poles and lights along the street to keep people from stepping out into moving traffic, but again, most people fail to notice them because they fail to look up. Well, okay, that last one is funny. Deadly, but funny.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zDIyZX2R1Js/UYPukikGGYI/AAAAAAAAGBo/sk_LHW9moog/s1600/8001_10200312879337999_134583676_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zDIyZX2R1Js/UYPukikGGYI/AAAAAAAAGBo/sk_LHW9moog/s1600/8001_10200312879337999_134583676_n.jpg" height="320" width="239" /></a>I’ve shared my rants in the past about technology and how it may cause people to be in touch with the world, but out of touch with what is going on around them. The loudest criticism against the Look Down Generation is their poor social skills. They have a hard time making eye contact because they tend to forget people actually do have eyes–or even faces for that matter. They find it perfectly acceptable to carry on a conversation with someone beside them while their head never bends upward to look at them. You see it in restaurants and coffee shops, where instead of engaging with the people around them they’re lost in the world of social media. Instead of interacting with people, they can’t set the technology aside even for the duration of a meal.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">This turns out to be a hindrance as they grow older. While they may be great for the computer job they are applying for, they will never get it because they don’t know how to properly conduct themselves during an interview. I’ve had hiring managers tell me stories about applicants answering their cell phones during an interview. People simply do not know how to behave anymore.<br /><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">What is even sadder is that we have spent decades convincing people to take pride in themselves and to Look Up, hold their head high. Then we create a device that tricks them into keeping their head down. They know what a picture of a sunrise looks like, but won’t put the phone down long enough to actually witness one.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">We’re even handing them this technology at a younger age. While you may think you are giving them a jump start on those who may not be able to purchase these devices for their children, in reality you are stunting their growth in so many crucial areas. Limit the time they can carry their devices. Force them to look up and actually see the roses everyone says they should take the time to smell. Teach them to communicate with their voice and not just a keyboard. You’d actually be the parent giving them the head start over those who have every new gadget thrown at them. Your children will be the well-rounded generation that remembers to look both ways before crossing the street.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><br /><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">~ ~ ~ ~ ~<o:p></o:p><br /><br />Did you enjoy what you read? &nbsp;Leave me a comment and then join me at <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Mess-That-Is-Me/158910737496018">The Mess that Is Me</a> on Facebook!<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">See what you've missed ~ <i><a href="http://www.themessthatisme.com/2014/07/full-room-to-empty-echo.html">Full Room to Empty Echo</a></i></div><div style="text-align: left;">&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <a href="http://www.themessthatisme.com/2014/07/four-stars-for-between-world-by.html">&nbsp;<i>Four Stars for The Between World by Stephanie Ingram</i></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;<i><a href="http://www.themessthatisme.com/2014/07/learn-something-new-every-day.html">Learn Something New Every Day</a></i></div><br /><br />Thanks for visiting The Mess! Keep chasing your dreams!<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-B_kOybcuLsE/U4jLFvQ6YvI/AAAAAAAANUc/QOTq_mhmgt4/s1600/unnamed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-B_kOybcuLsE/U4jLFvQ6YvI/AAAAAAAANUc/QOTq_mhmgt4/s1600/unnamed.jpg" height="137" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br />Pick up a copy of one of my books today!<br /><br /><i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Confused-Life-The-Mess-Steroids-ebook/dp/B00IORB91K/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1394036088&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=a+confused+%3Blife">A Confused Life</a></i><br /><i><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/204939">Circle of Justice</a></i><br /><i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Reaping-Harvest-Warrior-Way-Robbie-ebook/dp/B00BQG3XTW/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1394036293&amp;sr=8-4&amp;keywords=reaping+the+harvest">Reaping the Harvest</a></i><br /><br /><br />~~~~~</div><p><p><script src="http://connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js#xfbml=1"></script><fb:like href="http://www.themessthatisme.com/2014/07/the-look-down-generation.html" show_faces="false" width="450" font=""></fb:like> <P><P><P><!-- Place this tag where you want the su badge to render --><su:badge layout="5"></su:badge> <!-- Place this snippet wherever appropriate --><script type="text/javascript"> (function() { var li = document.createElement('script'); li.type = 'text/javascript'; li.async = true; li.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https:' : 'http:') + '//platform.stumbleupon.com/1/widgets.js'; var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(li, s); })(); </script> <a href="//www.pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.themessthatisme.com%2F2014%2F07%2Fthe-look-down-generation.html&media=http%3A%2F%2F2.bp.blogspot.com%2F-GY1y98FFeMg%2FUQAgfy9u7yI%2FAAAAAAAAENE%2FMCArBxsspk4%2Fs1600%2Fphoto2.jpg&description=The%20Look%20Down%20Generation" data-pin-do="buttonPin" data-pin-config="above"><img src="//assets.pinterest.com/images/pidgets/pinit_fg_en_rect_gray_20.png" /></a><!-- Please call pinit.js only once per page --><script type="text/javascript" async src="//assets.pinterest.com/js/pinit.js"></script> <script type="IN/Share" data-url="http://www.themessthatisme.com/2014/07/the-look-down-generation.html" data-counter="top"></script> Robbie Coxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13984616812301451319noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4241905912353051236.post-28077363347438030822014-07-18T15:59:00.000-04:002014-07-18T16:01:30.569-04:00Full Room to Empty Echo<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BmFaf7-fYYM/Uz74alVu1mI/AAAAAAAALqM/JYrMDGBjucM/s1600/20140404_142043.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BmFaf7-fYYM/Uz74alVu1mI/AAAAAAAALqM/JYrMDGBjucM/s1600/20140404_142043.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We had just set this up</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal">We’re in the process of moving as you may have heard, but we’ve been able to take it nice and slow, which my back appreciates. That was the idea when we started. Move one room or area at a time and avoid the chaos of a stacked box maze in the new house. It’s hard enough to rearrange furniture without the room being full of stuff you have to maneuver around. So, we created a plan of attack to optimize our efforts and create a semblance of organization. First area to be moved over was the garage, which just so happened to be the most discombobulated space in the old house outside of my desk area. We figured if we could move the garage first, organizing it as we did, then if we had to store other boxes in there temporarily, then nothing would get lost in the shuffle.</div><a name='more'></a><o:p></o:p><br /><div class="MsoNormal">Once the garage was in place, we decided to move the back porch and yard furniture. And the plants. Oh my god at the number of plants the girls have accumulated in four years. We almost needed a U-Haul just for the potted greenery and it’s still not all moved over.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">From there it was the living room areas and my study. Couches, coffee tables, book shelves–our friend, Bill, came over Saturday and we loaded his truck, both of our vans and a Dodge Caliber four different times and made the journey over the bridge. The garage, though organized, was once again stacked with boxes as was the dining room. We also moved the 9-year-old’s bedroom while she was visiting her dad. It made it easier to weed through the years of accumulated toys and junk. It’s the same trick the girls use on me when they want to go through my collection of supplies and papers and throw things away. For the record, I am not a hoarder. I am a collector.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-f-fMQKjtnZA/U8l6VGhA2iI/AAAAAAAAOOY/DtBiHptMXXg/s1600/20140713_095332_Android.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-f-fMQKjtnZA/U8l6VGhA2iI/AAAAAAAAOOY/DtBiHptMXXg/s1600/20140713_095332_Android.jpg" height="320" width="180" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Where did my furniture go?</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal">By the time we called it quits Saturday evening and ordered Chinese because we couldn’t find our pots and pans, the only rooms still left at the old domicile were the bedrooms and half a kitchen. Even the dining room and all of its chairs were gone. I had nowhere to sit! I couldn’t focus enough to write. I was desperately in need of the return of structure and routine in my life in order to function. I wandered the half-empty house aimlessly, lost as to what I should be doing, even though I knew what needed done. I felt like a ghost–in the world, but not really a part of it.</div><o:p></o:p><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">To make matters even more disjointed, our bedrooms were still set up like normal. Nothing had changed and I could hide in there as if nothing in the rest of the house had vanished. Yet, when I opened my bedroom door, I was faced with the echo of a completely empty room. It was like stepping out of one dimension and into another.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">There are moments in life very similar to that feeling. You’ve suffered a loss in your family due to divorce or death and while at work you may trick yourself into thinking everything is normal, when you walk through your front door it is to an empty echo. Nothing is where it was. Your routine is thrown completely off-kilter and you now sit at the breakfast table alone, staring at an empty chair. Loss of a career, ending of a friendship–these things change our lives and leave echoes where a fullness used to reside. However, as we begin to organize and decorate the new house, the echoes vanish and life returns to a new normal. We couldn’t remain standing in the empty room, reliving the memories that vibrated off the walls. It was time to move on and make new memories, to have more adventures, and meet new neighbors. It’s a time to be excited at what waits around the corner.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">And we are.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Very excited.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><br /><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">~ ~ ~ ~ ~&nbsp;<o:p></o:p></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">Did you enjoy what you read? &nbsp;Leave me a comment and then join me at <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Mess-That-Is-Me/158910737496018">The Mess that Is Me</a> on Facebook!</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">See what you've missed ~ <i><a href="http://www.themessthatisme.com/2014/07/four-stars-for-between-world-by.html">Four Stars for The Between World by Stephanie Ingram</a></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;<i><a href="http://www.themessthatisme.com/2014/07/learn-something-new-every-day.html">Learn Something New Every Day</a></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;<i><a href="http://www.themessthatisme.com/2014/07/where-did-wipers-go.html">Where Did the Wipers Go?</a></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">Thanks for visiting The Mess! Keep chasing your dreams!</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-B_kOybcuLsE/U4jLFvQ6YvI/AAAAAAAANUc/QOTq_mhmgt4/s1600/unnamed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-B_kOybcuLsE/U4jLFvQ6YvI/AAAAAAAANUc/QOTq_mhmgt4/s1600/unnamed.jpg" height="139" width="320" /></a></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">Pick up a copy of one of my books today!</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Confused-Life-The-Mess-Steroids-ebook/dp/B00IORB91K/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1394036088&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=a+confused+%3Blife">A Confused Life</a></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/204939">Circle of Justice</a></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Reaping-Harvest-Warrior-Way-Robbie-ebook/dp/B00BQG3XTW/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1394036293&amp;sr=8-4&amp;keywords=reaping+the+harvest">Reaping the Harvest</a></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><p><p><script src="http://connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js#xfbml=1"></script><fb:like href="http://www.themessthatisme.com/2014/07/full-room-to-empty-echo.html" show_faces="false" width="450" font=""></fb:like> <P><P><P><!-- Place this tag where you want the su badge to render --><su:badge layout="5"></su:badge> <!-- Place this snippet wherever appropriate --><script type="text/javascript"> (function() { var li = document.createElement('script'); li.type = 'text/javascript'; li.async = true; li.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https:' : 'http:') + '//platform.stumbleupon.com/1/widgets.js'; var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(li, s); })(); </script> <a href="//www.pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.themessthatisme.com%2F2014%2F07%2Ffull-room-to-empty-echo.html&media=http%3A%2F%2F3.bp.blogspot.com%2F-BmFaf7-fYYM%2FUz74alVu1mI%2FAAAAAAAALqM%2FJYrMDGBjucM%2Fs1600%2F20140404_142043.jpg&description=Full%20Room%20to%20Empty%20Echo" data-pin-do="buttonPin" data-pin-config="above"><img src="//assets.pinterest.com/images/pidgets/pinit_fg_en_rect_gray_20.png" /></a><!-- Please call pinit.js only once per page --><script type="text/javascript" async src="//assets.pinterest.com/js/pinit.js"></script> <script type="IN/Share" data-url="http://www.themessthatisme.com/2014/07/full-room-to-empty-echo.html" data-counter="top"></script> Robbie Coxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13984616812301451319noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4241905912353051236.post-35033252515312677232014-07-11T16:45:00.000-04:002014-07-11T16:47:30.206-04:00Four Stars for The Between World by Stephanie Ingram<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uYPRhwQ2x0E/U8BMdrBH-qI/AAAAAAAAOJE/PQtBC2SB7UU/s1600/f653469799361f073276934475001ae3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uYPRhwQ2x0E/U8BMdrBH-qI/AAAAAAAAOJE/PQtBC2SB7UU/s1600/f653469799361f073276934475001ae3.jpg" height="320" width="200" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal">Author Stephanie Ingram has always had a passion for language and people, which, lucky for us, has translated into storytelling. At the age of nine, she began writing and, after years of studying languages such as Portuguese, German and French, found her path back to creating vivid stories. The between World is one of those tales.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Nina Strident is almost killed in a car accident. She is rescued by Yalen, a mysterious man from another world who breaks all the rules to protect her when others want her dead. From there, we are thrown in to a battling world of humans, guardian angels, and those Between World. There is something about Nina’s survival that threatens t toss the worlds out of balance. Or is there? The reader is kept guessing with every turn of the page. You are also left wondering who the real bad guy is that they’re fighting–human or something else. The story has romance, mystery, magic, and a little bit of intrigue. Stephanie does a great job with her descriptions and story-telling, although I would have preferred more from the Between World to get a better grasp of what was going on within it and how it functioned.</div><a name='more'></a><o:p></o:p><br /><div class="MsoNormal">Nina grows throughout the book as she gets put through the paces and what to me started out as a whiny character develops into a strong woman who knows what she has to do, even though others are telling her not to do it. She is a great lesson in following your own path and heart. The world, including our loved ones, may be trying to get us to go one way, but to be true to ourselves, we must follow our instincts.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Yalen, on the other hand, is strong and determined from the get-go. My only frustration with him was his constant withholding of information that Nina wanted, but that was only because I wanted it as well. Yet, that was the motivation for all of Nina’s decisions as well as her growth, so I can see why it happened as Stephanie had it. You also have to admire a man willing to sacrifice all in order to do what was right.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Mrs. Ingram’s portrayal of Nina’s childhood friend and onetime love interest was very well done, I thought. At first, I was confused by Nina’s father’s insistence that she marry a man she didn’t love, but it all begins to make sense in the end and as it’s revealed, he has secrets of his own. All good characters do though, right? Also, her portrayal of the story’s villains was very well done and kept me guessing as to whether they were actually bad or not. The several twists and turns held my attention and kept me turning the page to see what would happen next and never really knowing if what I thought to be true was actually true.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">While the Between World needed another read through to catch some of the technical errors we sometimes miss because we are so used to seeing our story, the novel is a fantastic read that I would recommend to anyone, whether they read that particular genre or not. There is enough of everything–romance, mystery, magic–to keep someone’s attention. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">It seemed at the end that there was a set up for a sequel and I truly hope that is the case as there is so much more that can be explored in the Between World. I look forward to reading Stephanie Ingram’s other novels. Do yourself a favor and check them out.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><br /><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">~ ~ ~ ~ ~<o:p></o:p></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">Did you enjoy what you read? &nbsp;Leave me a comment and then join me at <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Mess-That-Is-Me/158910737496018">The Mess that Is Me</a> on Facebook!</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">See what you've missed ~ <i><a href="http://www.themessthatisme.com/2014/07/learn-something-new-every-day.html">Learn Something New Every Day</a></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;<i><a href="http://www.themessthatisme.com/2014/07/where-did-wipers-go.html">Where Did the Wipers Go?</a></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;<i><a href="http://www.themessthatisme.com/2014/07/disneyquest.html">DisneyQuest</a></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">Thanks for visiting The Mess! Keep chasing your dreams!</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-B_kOybcuLsE/U4jLFvQ6YvI/AAAAAAAANUc/QOTq_mhmgt4/s1600/unnamed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-B_kOybcuLsE/U4jLFvQ6YvI/AAAAAAAANUc/QOTq_mhmgt4/s1600/unnamed.jpg" height="139" width="320" /></a></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">Pick up a copy of one of my books today!</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Confused-Life-The-Mess-Steroids-ebook/dp/B00IORB91K/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1394036088&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=a+confused+%3Blife">A Confused Life</a></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/204939">Circle of Justice</a></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Reaping-Harvest-Warrior-Way-Robbie-ebook/dp/B00BQG3XTW/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1394036293&amp;sr=8-4&amp;keywords=reaping+the+harvest">Reaping the Harvest</a></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><p><p><script src="http://connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js#xfbml=1"></script><fb:like href="http://www.themessthatisme.com/2014/07/four-stars-for-between-world-by.html" show_faces="false" width="450" font=""></fb:like> <P><P><P><!-- Place this tag where you want the su badge to render --><su:badge layout="5"></su:badge> <!-- Place this snippet wherever appropriate --><script type="text/javascript"> (function() { var li = document.createElement('script'); li.type = 'text/javascript'; li.async = true; li.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https:' : 'http:') + '//platform.stumbleupon.com/1/widgets.js'; var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(li, s); })(); </script> <a href="//www.pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.themessthatisme.com%2F2014%2F07%2Ffour-stars-for-between-world-by.html&media=http%3A%2F%2F1.bp.blogspot.com%2F-uYPRhwQ2x0E%2FU8BMdrBH-qI%2FAAAAAAAAOJE%2FPQtBC2SB7UU%2Fs1600%2Ff653469799361f073276934475001ae3.jpg&description=Four%20Stars%20for%20The%20Between%20World%20by%20Stephanie%20Ingram" data-pin-do="buttonPin" data-pin-config="above"><img src="//assets.pinterest.com/images/pidgets/pinit_fg_en_rect_gray_20.png" /></a><!-- Please call pinit.js only once per page --><script type="text/javascript" async src="//assets.pinterest.com/js/pinit.js"></script> <script type="IN/Share" data-url="http://www.themessthatisme.com/2014/07/four-stars-for-between-world-by.html" data-counter="top"></script> Robbie Coxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13984616812301451319noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4241905912353051236.post-7060973418068361642014-07-10T12:03:00.000-04:002014-07-10T12:06:08.581-04:00Learn Something New Every Day<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0b0ZmFzj-2g/UvKAqgzVN0I/AAAAAAAAIbw/5xbWmaSTE38/s1600/188383_10200090388175859_1838554473_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0b0ZmFzj-2g/UvKAqgzVN0I/AAAAAAAAIbw/5xbWmaSTE38/s1600/188383_10200090388175859_1838554473_n.jpg" height="320" width="192" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The hat helps the learning process</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal">I want to learn how to play the guitar. I also want to learn how to play the saxophone, how to speak French, and how to finally use my Excel spreadsheets. I know I’ve joked in the past about not doing research for a blog post, but one of the things I enjoy most about writing is the research that has to go along with it. I’ve heard where some writers have become so obsessed with their research that they’ve forgotten to write their books. Some have found new interests or hobbies. It’s one of the reasons I enjoy reading biographies and history books, to learn something new, which I probably should have read about in high school if I wasn’t so busy doodling.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Learning something new helps stretch our mental capacity and sharpens our mind. It also helps us push past our comfort zones. Sometimes, we even discover that our comfort zones aren’t as narrow as we originally thought–except for roller coasters. Those are way outside of my comfort zone. It’s our fear of the unknown that quite often terrifies us, but learning can push us past those frightening barriers. The more we expand ourselves, the less of a foothold fear will have in our life.</div><a name='more'></a><o:p></o:p><br /><div class="MsoNormal">I’ve often thought that if we can teach our children to read and to work hard that those two basics are enough to teach them everything else. It gives them the foundation upon which they can learn anything for themselves and not be trapped by social class. Finances, or the school system. If you have the ability to learn new things, then you are far ahead of the rest of the world. It puts them in charge of the journey and takes it out of other people’s hands.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fd2ogz9t9vw/UplIleUgu-I/AAAAAAAAIMA/EkmoIiRTTrw/s1600/sleeping.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fd2ogz9t9vw/UplIleUgu-I/AAAAAAAAIMA/EkmoIiRTTrw/s1600/sleeping.jpg" height="320" width="180" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Taking a break from learning</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal">It’s also a great way to prove your worth to the business world. Being great at your career offers a certain amount of job security. However, being able to learn new things makes you a valuable asset to your employer that they will be more reluctant to let go. The more you know how to do, the more your worth as an employee increases. Where some people may have to be laid off where cutbacks happen because they can only do one job, your ability to learn new things increases your chances of being retained, because they know they can move you over to a different position and no one suffers.</div><o:p></o:p><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">As Sarah Caldwell said, “Learn everything you can, anytime you can, from anyone you can.” Everyone has something to teach us, even if it’s how <i>not</i> to do something. Never be so proud that you can’t sit at someone’s feet and listen to what they have to offer. The old adage, “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks,” does not apply to humans. We are in a society that is constantly evolving in technological advancements, the evolution of relationships, and the accessibility of world views. If you refuse to learn anything new, you run the risk of becoming obsolete and left behind in a world that is marching forward. Besides, as you learn new things, it not only stretches your mental capacity, but also enhances your ability to accept new concepts, thus is stretches your heart as well as your mind. I don’t know about you, but I believe our world could use more thinking people with expanding hearts. We’ve had enough of narrow-minded stupidity.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><br /><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">~ ~ ~ ~ ~<o:p></o:p></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">Did you enjoy what you read? &nbsp;Leave me a comment and then join me at <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Mess-That-Is-Me/158910737496018">The Mess that Is Me</a> on Facebook!</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">See what you've missed ~ <i><a href="http://www.themessthatisme.com/2014/07/where-did-wipers-go.html">Where Did the Wipers Go?</a></i></div><div style="text-align: left;">&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;<i><a href="http://www.themessthatisme.com/2014/07/disneyquest.html">DisneyQuest</a></i></div><div style="text-align: left;">&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;<i><a href="http://www.themessthatisme.com/2014/06/crossing-genres.html">Crossing Genres</a></i></div><br /><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">Thanks for visiting The Mess! Keep chasing your dreams!</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hDZ32xMb5Yw/U4OaM3qviyI/AAAAAAAANS4/8RmqIvcop4E/s1600/unnamed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hDZ32xMb5Yw/U4OaM3qviyI/AAAAAAAANS4/8RmqIvcop4E/s1600/unnamed.jpg" height="139" width="320" /></a></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">Pick up a copy of one of my books today!</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Confused-Life-The-Mess-Steroids-ebook/dp/B00IORB91K/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1394036088&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=a+confused+%3Blife">A Confused Life</a></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/204939">Circle of Justice</a></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Reaping-Harvest-Warrior-Way-Robbie-ebook/dp/B00BQG3XTW/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1394036293&amp;sr=8-4&amp;keywords=reaping+the+harvest">Reaping the Harvest</a></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><p><p><script src="http://connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js#xfbml=1"></script><fb:like href="http://www.themessthatisme.com/2014/07/learn-something-new-every-day.html" show_faces="false" width="450" font=""></fb:like> <P><P><P><!-- Place this tag where you want the su badge to render --><su:badge layout="5"></su:badge> <!-- Place this snippet wherever appropriate --><script type="text/javascript"> (function() { var li = document.createElement('script'); li.type = 'text/javascript'; li.async = true; li.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https:' : 'http:') + '//platform.stumbleupon.com/1/widgets.js'; var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(li, s); })(); </script> <a href="//www.pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.themessthatisme.com%2F2014%2F07%2Flearn-something-new-every-day.html&media=http%3A%2F%2F4.bp.blogspot.com%2F-0b0ZmFzj-2g%2FUvKAqgzVN0I%2FAAAAAAAAIbw%2F5xbWmaSTE38%2Fs1600%2F188383_10200090388175859_1838554473_n.jpg&description=Learn%20Something%20New%20Every%20Day" data-pin-do="buttonPin" data-pin-config="above"><img src="//assets.pinterest.com/images/pidgets/pinit_fg_en_rect_gray_20.png" /></a><!-- Please call pinit.js only once per page --><script type="text/javascript" async src="//assets.pinterest.com/js/pinit.js"></script> <script type="IN/Share" data-url="http://www.themessthatisme.com/2014/07/learn-something-new-every-day.html" data-counter="top"></script> Robbie Coxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13984616812301451319noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4241905912353051236.post-55181347228059756202014-07-07T14:16:00.000-04:002014-07-07T14:18:30.202-04:00Where Did the Wipers Go?<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iMwVwNSaHLo/U4OZAD4ZgEI/AAAAAAAANSk/wgO4LWA8Ktw/s1600/579239_10200312833016841_1436570286_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iMwVwNSaHLo/U4OZAD4ZgEI/AAAAAAAANSk/wgO4LWA8Ktw/s1600/579239_10200312833016841_1436570286_n.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not the picture that should go with this post.</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal">We own three vehicles, two vans and a Dodge Caliber. We mainly use two of these, because one of the vans has become the “old” vehicle, without all of the cool gadgets of the others, and so it gets chosen last to play on the team. Actually, it is only chosen when it’s a necessity and I need to go somewhere and the girls have the other two vehicles. There isn’t anything really wrong with it. It’s just not as fun as the others. To be honest, I prefer driving it to the Caliber, because I hate my ass so close to the pavement underneath me. I prefer being high up where I can look down on those poor drivers who piss me off.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">However, with the new move in motion, the old van was called into action as a pack mule and I was the designated driver. They used the term designated driver, that is. I would have chosen forced, but tomayto, tomahto.</div><a name='more'></a><o:p></o:p><br /><div class="MsoNormal">After going to the new house and dropping off three loads of stuff we hadn’t seen in a year, we headed home to the old house for another batch of household items. On the way over the bridge, it began to rain and windshield wipers were now required in order <i>not</i> to drive off the bridge. I reached to my right and twirled the little knob at the end of the turning signal lever.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Nothing happened.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">I turned with more urgency in the flip of the wrist. Still nothing. I kept doing it. I even yelled. “Where the hell are the wipers? Why aren’t they working?” No one was in the car with me, so no one answered. Not even the van. This was payback for leaving it sitting on the side of the road and not calling it to be on the first string. Not even cars like to be sidelined.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">All I could see was the rain beating a blinding, mocking pattern on the windshield. I was going to drive off the bridge and end up in the brink, I knew it. I started mentally saying my goodbyes.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">And then I realized what vehicle I was in and that the wipers were actually on the other stem protruding from the steering column. I took a deep breath and twirled that little knob while still praying no one had slammed on brakes in front of me.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">They worked! Swish swish–it was a beautiful sound. I let out the breath I was holding and thanked the Universe for that brief memory recall…<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">…And then I cussed out the car manufacturers.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Why the hell do they have to keep putting things in different places? The headlight switch should be the same in every car as well as the windshield wipers. People own more than one car. They can’t always be expected to keep track of where everything is, can they? Are they going to suddenly switch the accelerator pedal and the brake pedal? Will I forget one day which car I am in and go to slam on brakes only to wind up driving through a 7-11? We now own a Dodge Grand Caravan and the gear shift is <i>on</i> the dashboard next to the radio dial!&nbsp; Why are they moving things around???<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">I know it sounds a little overdramatic, but I could have died due to my lack of memory and Mazda’s need to be different than the other manufacturers. It was small, minor even, but it could have had major results. I was going over a bridge and couldn’t see. That tends to lead to consequences best not thought about.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Yet, there are many things in life that are the same. They may seem small at the time, but in the end, they could have disastrous consequences. It’s best not to take things or people for granted, thinking they will always be there, that you can just reach out and they will perform how you want them to. One day someone is going to move something on you and you won’t realize it until it’s too late and you’re about to drive off the side of the bridge. Then you would have wished your memory was a little better.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">~ ~ ~ ~ ~</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">Did you enjoy what you read? &nbsp;Leave me a comment and then join me at <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Mess-That-Is-Me/158910737496018">The Mess that Is Me</a> on Facebook!</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">See what you've missed ~ <i><a href="http://www.themessthatisme.com/2014/07/disneyquest.html">DisneyQuest</a></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;<i><a href="http://www.themessthatisme.com/2014/06/crossing-genres.html">Crossing Genres</a></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;<i><a href="http://www.themessthatisme.com/2014/06/friend-requests-and-their-acceptance.html">Friend Requests and Their Acceptance</a></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">Thanks for visiting The Mess! Keep chasing your dreams!</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-B_kOybcuLsE/U4jLFvQ6YvI/AAAAAAAANUc/QOTq_mhmgt4/s1600/unnamed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-B_kOybcuLsE/U4jLFvQ6YvI/AAAAAAAANUc/QOTq_mhmgt4/s1600/unnamed.jpg" height="137" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">Pick up a copy of one of my books today!</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Confused-Life-The-Mess-Steroids-ebook/dp/B00IORB91K/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1394036088&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=a+confused+%3Blife">A Confused Life</a></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/204939">Circle of Justice</a></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Reaping-Harvest-Warrior-Way-Robbie-ebook/dp/B00BQG3XTW/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1394036293&amp;sr=8-4&amp;keywords=reaping+the+harvest">Reaping the Harvest</a></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><p><p><script src="http://connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js#xfbml=1"></script><fb:like href="http://www.themessthatisme.com/2014/07/where-did-wipers-go.html" show_faces="false" width="450" font=""></fb:like> <P><P><P><!-- Place this tag where you want the su badge to render --><su:badge layout="5"></su:badge> <!-- Place this snippet wherever appropriate --><script type="text/javascript"> (function() { var li = document.createElement('script'); li.type = 'text/javascript'; li.async = true; li.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https:' : 'http:') + '//platform.stumbleupon.com/1/widgets.js'; var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(li, s); })(); </script> <a href="//www.pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.themessthatisme.com%2F2014%2F07%2Fwhere-did-wipers-go.html&media=http%3A%2F%2F4.bp.blogspot.com%2F-iMwVwNSaHLo%2FU4OZAD4ZgEI%2FAAAAAAAANSk%2FwgO4LWA8Ktw%2Fs1600%2F579239_10200312833016841_1436570286_n.jpg&description=Where%20Did%20My%20Wipers%20Go%3F" data-pin-do="buttonPin" data-pin-config="above"><img src="//assets.pinterest.com/images/pidgets/pinit_fg_en_rect_gray_20.png" /></a><!-- Please call pinit.js only once per page --><script type="text/javascript" async src="//assets.pinterest.com/js/pinit.js"></script> <script type="IN/Share" data-url="http://www.themessthatisme.com/2014/07/where-did-wipers-go.html" data-counter="top"></script> Robbie Coxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13984616812301451319noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4241905912353051236.post-40017088432332063142014-07-04T13:36:00.004-04:002014-07-04T13:39:20.608-04:00DisneyQuest<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NiDumyYjK14/U7bjH91wr_I/AAAAAAAAN78/r7OXI-_vXmk/s1600/20140510_203201_Android.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NiDumyYjK14/U7bjH91wr_I/AAAAAAAAN78/r7OXI-_vXmk/s1600/20140510_203201_Android.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal">By now, you’ve noticed the girls and I love Disney and if you haven’t, then your powers of observation need some serious exercise. Part of our annual passes to everything Disney includes admission into their giant arcade at Downtown Disney called DisneyQuest, five floors of video games and interactive fun. We had never been before, so when Sarah’s cousin, Lisa, was vacationing in Orlando, we decided to meet there for a visit of fun. Adults could talk and we could all play. Sounds like a good time, right? Well, it was.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">We entered on the third floor, which was street level, and it was recommended we start at the top and work our way down by the cast member guarding the front door. We had an hour and a half to kill before Lisa and her family arrived, so we decided to explore. We found the nearest elevator, because I only exercise when the girls force me and walking stairs is classified as exercise in my book. We piled in and pressed 5.</div><a name='more'></a><o:p></o:p><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VuUiBfThsUg/U7bjZcs3mbI/AAAAAAAAN9M/-HdiIVHy_SQ/s1600/20140510_190444_Android.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VuUiBfThsUg/U7bjZcs3mbI/AAAAAAAAN9M/-HdiIVHy_SQ/s1600/20140510_190444_Android.jpg" height="320" width="180" /></a>Each floor seemed to be divided in half with the elevator acting as the center point and dividing line. When we exited the elevator, we ventured left and wound up facing <i>Ride the Comix</i>, where we could enter a comic book world and fight off evil villains. It’s a virtual reality ride where we put on a visor helmet and strap ourselves onto this stump looking chair, which is supposed to keep us from falling on our asses as we jerk around. We stood there, a stick in our hands that turns into a sword that resembles a light sabre in the game, and pretended to sword fight evil. Afterward, we stood and watched another group play the game and could only imagine how silly we appeared swinging an invisible sword at invisible people, our bodies zig-zagging and arms twirling. Teri said next time she just wanted to video tape us. I don’t think I want the evidence of actions.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">From there, Char, Sarah, and I climbed into Invasion! An ExtraTerrorestrial Alien Encounter. The 9-year-old was ready to sit this one out and Teri was quick to volunteer to keep an eye on her. On this ride, we are enclosed inside of a “space ship” and have to rescue stranded colonists while fighting off the attacking aliens. The game is played on a large screen while you hold the controls and push buttons in a frantic frenzy while trying to steer our ship over rugged alien terrain. It took me until the end of the game to figure out what the hell I was doing and by then most of my colonists were alien fodder. The lesson we walked away with was that you would rather come to my rescue than have to depend on me to save your stranded ass. Personally, I think you need to stay on Earth where you belong so we don’t have to worry about it.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-P791asEvC7U/U7bjjxaaXMI/AAAAAAAAN9g/Zrl_EQ42hfo/s1600/20140510_165832_Android.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-P791asEvC7U/U7bjjxaaXMI/AAAAAAAAN9g/Zrl_EQ42hfo/s1600/20140510_165832_Android.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">By now, Sarah’s cousins had joined us and we were ready for the fun to continue. Down on the third floor, we hopped aboard a pogo-looking device and became a ball inside of a pinball machine. We could maneuver our ball around, trying to play off each other as we racked up points. The ball would roll off whichever way we leaned and soon I was trying to keep my dinner down. The 9-year-old beat us all and I’m sure she has not played a real pinball game.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2oYxq4mbHuo/U7bjtHxJatI/AAAAAAAAN9o/eaeV5No81GA/s1600/20140510_200359_Android.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2oYxq4mbHuo/U7bjtHxJatI/AAAAAAAAN9o/eaeV5No81GA/s1600/20140510_200359_Android.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a>On the first floor, we hopped aboard the Pirates of Caribbean: Battle for Buccaneer Gold. The 9-year-old had seen us on the other games and figured she’s have better luck with her cousins and, therefore, ditched us. I didn’t really blame her. I would have ditched us, too, but I wasn’t allowed.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">This time, the game was in 3D and we had to wear those hard plastic glasses that I hate. The screen is on three sides and we are on a facsimile of a pirate ship with four cannons and a wheel to steer the vessel by. I took up the wheel. After seeing how well I did at the alien invasion, I was better off just steering the boat. The girls handled the firing weapons and soon we had piled up quite a bit of booty at the front of our boat. Then, Captain Blackbeard came to steal our treasure and we had to fight him off. That’s where we failed in our mission. In an attempt to kill Blackbeard’s ghosts we sunk our own ship. Never point your cannon at your own ship.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iSd0AP2Vm0k/U7bj1negsPI/AAAAAAAAN9w/vYJxTRdByjM/s1600/20140510_201620_Android.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iSd0AP2Vm0k/U7bj1negsPI/AAAAAAAAN9w/vYJxTRdByjM/s1600/20140510_201620_Android.jpg" height="320" width="180" /></a>Feeling herself justified in ditching us, the 9-year-old remained with her cousins as we climbed aboard the Virtual Jungle Cruise. This time, Sarah ditched us as well, the traitor, leaving Char, Teri and I to face the rapids alone. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">On this ride, you climb aboard a raft perched atop a giant air mattress and given oars with wheels attached that you have to use or you go nowhere on the giant screen in front of you. That was fine with me, but the girls told me to paddle. I wanted to paddle them, but as I lifted the oar, they said that wasn’t what they meant in no uncertain terms. We were then tossed into a prehistoric world and had to ride the rapids of adventure as we hoped not to become a dino snack. What the three of us left in our little party didn’t know was that the raft we were in actually moved as if we were riding the rapids. At one point, we were bounced out of the water on the screen and almost completely out of our raft. I was just happy that there wasn’t actual water or we would have drowned.</div><o:p></o:p><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">A few of the rides we didn’t have time for were Buzz Lightyear’s AstroBlaster, where you ride in a bumper car and fire rubber balls at the other drivers, Aladdin’s Magic Carpet Ride, and CyberSpace Mountain, a place to not only design your own roller coaster, but also ride it. I’m glad I missed that last one, because as one of Teri’s friends said, “My roller coaster would resemble a train ride, completely straight and flat.”<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">DisneyQuest is home to a couple of other neat things such as Radio Disney Songmaker, where you can hop into a booth and record your own song. Then there is the Animation Academy, a 30-minute class that teaches you how to draw one of your favorite Disney characters. Teri and Sarah both took the class and can now draw Minnie Mouse, although I am not sure why they would want to. Still, it was a fun experience.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9SfAxyfqKy8/U7bkAfIyYyI/AAAAAAAAN94/D_AHISIrq5c/s1600/20140510_184439_Android.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9SfAxyfqKy8/U7bkAfIyYyI/AAAAAAAAN94/D_AHISIrq5c/s1600/20140510_184439_Android.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">And then there are video and arcade games on every floor. From Frogger and Pac Man to carnival games like the basketball and football toss. We even played four-man air hockey and a couple of the girls raced each other down curvy courses. It was because of that game we decided to keep Teri in the passenger seat, when she hit a bump, left the race course and wiped out a poor town. Guitar Hero, shooting galleries, and dance moves, it would be impossible for someone not to find a game they would enjoy.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-P01BtFQSNEc/U7bkLHqGktI/AAAAAAAAN-A/hv4-7ghliZc/s1600/20140510_193102_Android.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-P01BtFQSNEc/U7bkLHqGktI/AAAAAAAAN-A/hv4-7ghliZc/s1600/20140510_193102_Android.jpg" height="320" width="180" /></a>There are also two dining areas. On the fifth floor you can get lunch or dinner, choosing from hamburgers, hot dogs pasta and more. Then once done, pick out a sweet dessert on the fourth floor at the Wonderland Café and settle back in large Alice-in-Wonderland chairs and booths to relax. It was here that we found some parents taking a nap while their kids lost themselves on virtual reality. This is where I think I will hide next time, after a game of Donkey Kong, of course.</div><o:p></o:p><br /><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">All of this is received with the price of admission. Except for the food and drink, you could spend all day here and never spend another dime. Of course, Disney knows the truth of location, location, location, and as you leave you have to pass through the DisneyQuest Emporium. Now the little tykes are screaming for the souvenirs you were hoping they would have forgotten about while they were fighting off aliens. Still, you don’t feel so bad letting them get something because look at the quarters and tokens you saved inside. DisneyQuest is a fun experience for all as younger generations enjoy the violence of the new games, adults can wax nostalgic at the original arcade games, and everyone can get lost in a virtual reality world. For a day full of adventure, it is well worth the price of admission.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EK_O_3QqEIA/U7bkX3WVEVI/AAAAAAAAN-I/jddjMWjphn4/s1600/20140510_172005_Android.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EK_O_3QqEIA/U7bkX3WVEVI/AAAAAAAAN-I/jddjMWjphn4/s1600/20140510_172005_Android.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">~ ~ ~ ~ ~</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">Did you enjoy what you read? &nbsp;Leave me a comment and then join me at <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Mess-That-Is-Me/158910737496018">The Mess that Is Me</a> on Facebook!</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">See what you've missed ~ <i><a href="http://www.themessthatisme.com/2014/06/crossing-genres.html">Crossing Genres</a></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <i><a href="http://www.themessthatisme.com/2014/06/friend-requests-and-their-acceptance.html">Friend Requests and Their Acceptance</a></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <i><a href="http://www.themessthatisme.com/2014/06/why-are-you-telling-me.html">Why Are You Telling Me?</a></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">Thanks for visiting The Mess! Keep chasing your dreams!</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YwvGG_BCGHo/U4Xa6T3jejI/AAAAAAAANTc/RLW0aZc7ASY/s1600/unnamed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YwvGG_BCGHo/U4Xa6T3jejI/AAAAAAAANTc/RLW0aZc7ASY/s1600/unnamed.jpg" height="137" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">Pick up a copy of one of my books today!</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Confused-Life-The-Mess-Steroids-ebook/dp/B00IORB91K/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1394036088&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=a+confused+%3Blife">A Confused Life</a></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/204939">Circle of Justice</a></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Reaping-Harvest-Warrior-Way-Robbie-ebook/dp/B00BQG3XTW/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1394036293&amp;sr=8-4&amp;keywords=reaping+the+harvest">Reaping the Harvest</a></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div> <p><p><script src="http://connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js#xfbml=1"></script><fb:like href="http://www.themessthatisme.com/2014/07/disneyquest.html" show_faces="false" width="450" font=""></fb:like> <P><P><P><!-- Place this tag where you want the su badge to render --><su:badge layout="5"></su:badge> <!-- Place this snippet wherever appropriate --><script type="text/javascript"> (function() { var li = document.createElement('script'); li.type = 'text/javascript'; li.async = true; li.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https:' : 'http:') + '//platform.stumbleupon.com/1/widgets.js'; var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(li, s); })(); </script> <a href="//www.pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.themessthatisme.com%2F2014%2F07%2Fdisneyquest.html&media=http%3A%2F%2F2.bp.blogspot.com%2F-NiDumyYjK14%2FU7bjH91wr_I%2FAAAAAAAAN78%2Fr7OXI-_vXmk%2Fs1600%2F20140510_203201_Android.jpg&description=DisneyQuest%20~%20My%20review%20from%20our%20visit%20to%20Disney%26%23x27%3Bs%20arcade%20extravaganza..." data-pin-do="buttonPin" data-pin-config="above"><img src="//assets.pinterest.com/images/pidgets/pinit_fg_en_rect_gray_20.png" /></a><!-- Please call pinit.js only once per page --><script type="text/javascript" async src="//assets.pinterest.com/js/pinit.js"></script> <script type="IN/Share" data-url="http://www.themessthatisme.com/2014/07/disneyquest.html" data-counter="top"></script> Robbie Coxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13984616812301451319noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4241905912353051236.post-73801200222832993522014-06-30T09:54:00.000-04:002014-06-30T09:57:30.568-04:00Crossing Genres<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6glRH-_O7S8/U1EvfANoyDI/AAAAAAAAL9w/rYhJnC_hzTU/s1600/Finished+Copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6glRH-_O7S8/U1EvfANoyDI/AAAAAAAAL9w/rYhJnC_hzTU/s1600/Finished+Copy.jpg" height="320" width="250" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal">One of the many things I enjoy about being an indie author is that I’m in complete control of what I write. My brain is not wired to think along one track. I hop trains of thought continuously just to explore an idea that has caught my attention. I started with a crime drama of sorts with the short story, <i><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/204939">Circle of Justice</a></i>, and then I published my urban fantasy novella, <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Reaping-Harvest-Warrior-Way-Robbie-ebook/dp/B00BQG3XTW/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1394036293&amp;sr=8-4&amp;keywords=reaping+the+harvest">Reaping the Harvest</a></i>. After those came a collection of creative nonfiction in <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Confused-Life-The-Mess-Steroids-ebook/dp/B00IORB91K/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1394036088&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=a+confused+%3Blife">A Confused Life</a></i>, based off of posts right here at the Mess. The next book to come out is going to be an erotic novel. <i>Losing Faith</i> is the first in the Rutherford Series and my attempt of steamy romance with sizzling scenes.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">And the projects continue from there. <i>Holiday Hindsight</i> a collection of nostalgic essays about those last three months of the year, should be out in September and I am currently working the first draft of <i>Fields of Harvest</i>, the second book in the Warrior of the Way series. I have more fantasy novels simmering on the back burner as well as some murder mysteries, short stories and even more erotica. As I said above, my mind loves to jump around.</div><a name='more'></a><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HNZkR-de2hs/U1EvUIizG8I/AAAAAAAAL9o/fiUT3yitai4/s1600/ReapingTheHarvest-v.2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HNZkR-de2hs/U1EvUIizG8I/AAAAAAAAL9o/fiUT3yitai4/s1600/ReapingTheHarvest-v.2.jpg" height="320" width="244" /></a>So, how do I handle crossing genres with my audience? At first, I looked at how other authors managed it. Some just blended it all together and hoped the right audience would find them, much like when a popular author starts a new series that is quite different from what they were currently writing even if it is the same genre. Others, I noticed, use a different pen name for each genre that they write in so as not to confuse people. I had to decide which way was going to work best for me. Many come to the Mess because they enjoy the humorous family content while others enjoy the self-improvement posts. It was realized that not all of the Mess readers would enjoy the erotic writings that are coming, and really, that’s okay. Everyone has their personal tastes as well as viewpoints.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">The girls and I decided it would be best to separate the two so as not to alienate anyone. People could enjoy one or the other or even both if they desired to have a taste of it all. I also decided not to use a pen name. My entire life I have been teased because of my last name being Cox. It was now time to make it work for me. So, one author, but two sites to cater to my varying trains of thought are now being offered for your reading pleasure. <i>The Mess That Is Me</i> will continue as is. We’ll ramble about this and that, share our family trips and new discoveries with you and I’ll continue to rant about all the things that annoy me. It’s also where you will hear about all of the non-erotic writings, all perfectly safe for everyone’s eyes.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JwJUXAWSY5k/UxH3yRQ9wtI/AAAAAAAAKlY/ysyorrF6JYI/s1600/Confusedv.3+-+revised.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JwJUXAWSY5k/UxH3yRQ9wtI/AAAAAAAAKlY/ysyorrF6JYI/s1600/Confusedv.3+-+revised.jpg" height="320" width="244" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">In order to promote the erotic novels, we have begun <i><a href="http://www.robbiecox.net/">Behind the Peephole</a></i>. The new blog will explore not only my over-18-only writing, but also delve into the workings of a variety of relationships. Those who wish to join us on this new extension of our journey will be able to do so and those who aren’t interested can safely remain at the Mess and continue to participate in what we do here. You can also join us on Facebook at <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Behind-the-Peephole/298222227018578?ref_type=bookmark">Behind the Peephole</a> and keep up with everything going on. I hope you’ll consider joining us at both the new blog as well as the new page.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">It’s exciting to see what is coming up and whether you join us at <i>Behind the Peephole</i> or not, I hope you wish us luck. Either way, this will be the only time we advertise the naughtier side of the Mess here. The two will be kept separate for now as we work on building a new website to encompass it all. Like I said, exciting things are coming. I hope you join us for the ride.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-o40fc6y9loI/U7FaKiz6veI/AAAAAAAAN6M/pJuAO9_ApyA/s1600/unnamed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-o40fc6y9loI/U7FaKiz6veI/AAAAAAAAN6M/pJuAO9_ApyA/s1600/unnamed.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><br /><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">~ ~ ~ ~ ~<o:p></o:p></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">Did you enjoy what you read? &nbsp;Leave me a comment and then join me at T<a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Mess-That-Is-Me/158910737496018">he Mess that Is Me</a> on Facebook!</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">See what you've missed ~ <i><a href="http://www.themessthatisme.com/2014/06/friend-requests-and-their-acceptance.html">Friend Requests and Their Acceptance</a></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <i><a href="http://www.themessthatisme.com/2014/06/why-are-you-telling-me.html">Why Are You Telling Me?</a></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <i><a href="http://www.themessthatisme.com/2014/06/hed-make-lousy-dog.html">He'd Make a Lousy Dog</a></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">Thanks for visiting The Mess! Keep chasing your dreams!</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hDZ32xMb5Yw/U4OaM3qviyI/AAAAAAAANS4/8RmqIvcop4E/s1600/unnamed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hDZ32xMb5Yw/U4OaM3qviyI/AAAAAAAANS4/8RmqIvcop4E/s1600/unnamed.jpg" height="137" width="320" /></a></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">Pick up a copy of one of my books today!</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Confused-Life-The-Mess-Steroids-ebook/dp/B00IORB91K/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1394036088&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=a+confused+%3Blife">A Confused Life</a></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/204939">Circle of Justice</a></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Reaping-Harvest-Warrior-Way-Robbie-ebook/dp/B00BQG3XTW/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1394036293&amp;sr=8-4&amp;keywords=reaping+the+harvest">Reaping the Harvest</a></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><p><p><script src="http://connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js#xfbml=1"></script><fb:like href="http://www.themessthatisme.com/2014/06/crossing-genres.html" show_faces="false" width="450" font=""></fb:like> <P><P><P><!-- Place this tag where you want the su badge to render --><su:badge layout="5"></su:badge> <!-- Place this snippet wherever appropriate --><script type="text/javascript"> (function() { var li = document.createElement('script'); li.type = 'text/javascript'; li.async = true; li.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https:' : 'http:') + '//platform.stumbleupon.com/1/widgets.js'; var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(li, s); })(); </script> <a href="//www.pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.themessthatisme.com%2F2014%2F06%2Fcrossing-genres.html&media=http%3A%2F%2F3.bp.blogspot.com%2F-6glRH-_O7S8%2FU1EvfANoyDI%2FAAAAAAAAL9w%2FrYhJnC_hzTU%2Fs1600%2FFinished%2BCopy.jpg&description=Crossing%20Genres%20~%20The%20Mess%20has%20a%20split%20personality.%20Check%20it%20out!" data-pin-do="buttonPin" data-pin-config="above"><img src="//assets.pinterest.com/images/pidgets/pinit_fg_en_rect_gray_20.png" /></a><!-- Please call pinit.js only once per page --><script type="text/javascript" async src="//assets.pinterest.com/js/pinit.js"></script> <script type="IN/Share" data-url="http://www.themessthatisme.com/2014/06/crossing-genres.html" data-counter="top"></script>Robbie Coxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13984616812301451319noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4241905912353051236.post-70398644397233086902014-06-27T07:45:00.000-04:002014-06-27T07:47:17.119-04:00Friend Requests and Their Acceptance<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ivK41Ecr0X4/U1fz4hmgxiI/AAAAAAAAMAc/rSCFYvMr5V0/s1600/2014-04-23+11.42.22.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ivK41Ecr0X4/U1fz4hmgxiI/AAAAAAAAMAc/rSCFYvMr5V0/s1600/2014-04-23+11.42.22.png" height="180" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Friendship denied...next!</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal">On Twitter, people just follow you if they want and, likewise, you get to follow whoever you want in your Twitter stream. Unless everyone starts blocking everyone else, nothing can really be done about it. Besides, on Twitter that’s really the goal, to gain as many followers as possible to assist in whatever it is you’re wanting to achieve.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Facebook, however, is a completely different ballgame. This social media is not about networking so much as it is about friendships. Thus you don’t just follow people, you have to send Friend Requests and they have to be accepted. You, therefore, with the help that can be found in settings, have some control over who is able to see what you post. I suppose it’s because of that sharing of personal lives that many corporations have guidelines concerning social media and its employees. I’ve never been very big on anyone–government, businesses, Santa Claus–telling me what I can or cannot do on my own time. I also don’t like people telling me who I can or cannot be friends with. I want to make those poor choices on my own.</div><a name='more'></a><o:p></o:p><br /><div class="MsoNormal">Still, I can understand why they feel that way. People can truly be idiots on Facebook and it doesn’t matter which rung on the corporate ladder they reside. Human Resources doesn’t wish to deal with the janitor shouting out how the manager was dancing on the table tops at the local club. It’s not good for the company image and HR worries about a possible barter system where favors are exchanged for silence. Of course, it would be great if this was something no one had to worry about, but adults still tend to behave like children. And yet, we are social people who wants everyone to like us and know that we checked in at Taco Bell. So, where do we draw the line?</div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">I honestly believe that depends on you and what you are ready for the world to see, because even if you don’t accept their friendship, if someone else that you are mutual friends with comments or likes it, then there is a chance the one you’re not friends with could see it, regardless of your privacy settings. I’m of the mindset that if you put it on the Internet in the first place, you better be ready for your religious grandmother to see it. Nothing stays hidden forever especially online.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">The truth of the matter is, it doesn’t matter whose friend request you accept. Live your life the way you want and own who you are. If you’re worried about people finding out, then you shouldn’t be doing it in the first place. I know there are small-minded, prejudiced people out there, but why do you care what they think? And why allow other people to dictate who you can be friends with? That should be your only reason for accepting someone’s Friend Request, that you actually want to be friends with them. Do you want to be friends with them on Facebook? Then, by all means, be friends with them. Both of you behave like adults and prove that friends have each other’s backs online and off. We can be adults, right?<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><br /><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; text-indent: 0in;">~ ~ ~ ~ ~<o:p></o:p></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; text-indent: 0in;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; text-indent: 0in;">Did you enjoy what you read? &nbsp;Leave me a comment and then join me at <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Mess-That-Is-Me/158910737496018">The Mess that Is Me</a> on Facebook!</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; text-indent: 0in;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; text-indent: 0in;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left; text-indent: 0in;">See what you've missed ~ <i><a href="http://www.themessthatisme.com/2014/06/why-are-you-telling-me.html">Why Are You Telling Me?</a></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left; text-indent: 0in;">&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <i><a href="http://www.themessthatisme.com/2014/06/hed-make-lousy-dog.html">He'd Make a Lousy Dog</a></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left; text-indent: 0in;">&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <i><a href="http://www.themessthatisme.com/2014/06/the-disney-infinity-game.html">The Disney Infinity Game</a></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; text-indent: 0in;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; text-indent: 0in;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; text-indent: 0in;">Thanks for visiting The Mess! Keep chasing your dreams!</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; text-indent: 0in;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-B_kOybcuLsE/U4jLFvQ6YvI/AAAAAAAANUc/QOTq_mhmgt4/s1600/unnamed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-B_kOybcuLsE/U4jLFvQ6YvI/AAAAAAAANUc/QOTq_mhmgt4/s1600/unnamed.jpg" height="137" width="320" /></a></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; text-indent: 0in;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; text-indent: 0in;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; text-indent: 0in;">Pick up a copy of one of my books today!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; text-indent: 0in;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; text-indent: 0in;"><i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Confused-Life-The-Mess-Steroids-ebook/dp/B00IORB91K/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1394036088&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=a+confused+%3Blife">A Confused Life</a></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; text-indent: 0in;"><i><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/204939">Circle of Justice</a></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; text-indent: 0in;"><i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Reaping-Harvest-Warrior-Way-Robbie-ebook/dp/B00BQG3XTW/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1394036293&amp;sr=8-4&amp;keywords=reaping+the+harvest">Reaping the Harvest</a></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><p><p><script src="http://connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js#xfbml=1"></script><fb:like href="http://www.themessthatisme.com/2014/06/friend-requests-and-their-acceptance.html" show_faces="false" width="450" font=""></fb:like> <P><P><P><!-- Place this tag where you want the su badge to render --><su:badge layout="5"></su:badge> <!-- Place this snippet wherever appropriate --><script type="text/javascript"> (function() { var li = document.createElement('script'); li.type = 'text/javascript'; li.async = true; li.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https:' : 'http:') + '//platform.stumbleupon.com/1/widgets.js'; var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(li, s); })(); </script> <a href="//www.pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.themessthatisme.com%2F2014%2F06%2Ffriend-requests-and-their-acceptance.html&media=http%3A%2F%2F2.bp.blogspot.com%2F-ivK41Ecr0X4%2FU1fz4hmgxiI%2FAAAAAAAAMAc%2FrSCFYvMr5V0%2Fs1600%2F2014-04-23%2B11.42.22.png&description=Friend%20Requests%20and%20Their%20Acceptance%20~%20Even%20this%20has%20politic%20attached" data-pin-do="buttonPin" data-pin-config="above"><img src="//assets.pinterest.com/images/pidgets/pinit_fg_en_rect_gray_20.png" /></a><!-- Please call pinit.js only once per page --><script type="text/javascript" async src="//assets.pinterest.com/js/pinit.js"></script> <script type="IN/Share" data-url="http://www.themessthatisme.com/2014/06/friend-requests-and-their-acceptance.html" data-counter="top"></script> Robbie Coxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13984616812301451319noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4241905912353051236.post-7490028182275211622014-06-25T07:35:00.002-04:002014-06-25T07:37:39.138-04:00Why Are You Telling Me?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KyRvqZqrIIo/US4inGeDwAI/AAAAAAAAE9Q/Rwah0rIEZew/s1600/freeimage-7821792.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KyRvqZqrIIo/US4inGeDwAI/AAAAAAAAE9Q/Rwah0rIEZew/s1600/freeimage-7821792.jpg" height="214" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal">Some people love to talk and they’re favorite topic is other people. They just can’t wait to give you the dish on everyone they know and most of the time it’s never good. As a matter of fact, the dirtier the dish, the faster they want to pass it around. They’re faster with the news than the Internet. And there will always be people who want to listen. They thrive on hearing the gossip as much as the others relish spreading it.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">I try my best not to be either of those people. I may not always be successful at it, but I try very hard. And for several reasons.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">I believe that it says something about a person who can’t wait to tell you all about someone else’s crimes. It says they’re angry, bitter people. They don’t feel good about themselves and so they have to make others look bad in an attempt to make themselves look better. It’s a distraction ploy, hoping that if they can point your attention elsewhere, you won’t be looking at them. Little do they know, it rarely works.</div><a name='more'></a><o:p></o:p><br /><div class="MsoNormal">However, I believe it also says something about the person who listens to the gossip. It says that they thrive on drama and negativity. They have the same problem as the one who gossips. They need to hear it in order to feel better about themselves, to feel superior to those around them. They don’t believe they are hurting anyone because, after all, they are not the ones spreading the gossip. Yet, you are never superior when hurting other people and whether you are doing the talking or allowing it to be said, you <i>are</i> hurting other people.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MCk4gJTI7-0/UY0HTR5OGTI/AAAAAAAAGPo/SDSvXIp_Lts/s1600/503038_Sign--Do-Not-Disturb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MCk4gJTI7-0/UY0HTR5OGTI/AAAAAAAAGPo/SDSvXIp_Lts/s1600/503038_Sign--Do-Not-Disturb.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal">As was pointed out to me recently, we all need someone we can trust and talk to, vent and share with. Outside of the girls, my list of those I share everything with can be counted on one hand. These close friends and I can talk about anything and we trust each other’s motives. We share our opinions and thoughts because most often we’re looking out for each other and if we know of a possible danger or drama situation, we’re quick to warn each other. However, outside of that core circle, when someone starts telling me something about someone else, I have to ask, “Why are you telling me?” You should be asking the same question. What is the motive behind them telling you that so-and-so is behind in his rent or that someone has a hard time keeping her skirt down? Why do you need to know it and why do they feel comfortable telling you?</div><o:p></o:p><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Something else you need to keep in mind is that if they are telling you all about someone else’s dirty laundry, chances are high that they’re also sharing what they know about you to other people. To think that they would keep your secrets while blabbing everyone else’s just makes you naïve. Someone who gossips will gossip about everybody. Don’t trust them and you sure as hell shouldn’t confide in them.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">I am, for the most part, an open book. There isn’t much about my life I won’t share with people and what I’m not forthcoming about, I will usually share if asked. I also don’t mind giving my opinion of people. Idiots need to know they are idiots, after all. However, whether they are a friend or an enemy, their business is their business and it’s not my place to share it with others. If they want you to know they’ll tell you. Unless, of course, it concerns my kids and then I always share their stuff with my inner circle. That’s part of the perks of being a parent.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">We have enough in our lives to have to add somebody else’s drama. Don’t spread it and don’t listen to it. Then, people will know you’re a person to be trusted and the world needs more trustworthy people. We need less of those who can’t be quiet. If you want good dish, pick up a good novel. There’s plenty of peeping into people’s lives within the pages and no one gets hurt. Actually, you help an author eat. See, everyone wins.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><br /><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">~ ~ ~ ~ ~<o:p></o:p></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">Did you enjoy what you read? &nbsp;Leave me a comment and then join me at <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Mess-That-Is-Me/158910737496018">The Mess that Is Me</a> on Facebook!</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">See what you've missed ~ <i><a href="http://www.themessthatisme.com/2014/06/hed-make-lousy-dog.html">He'd Make A Lousy Dog</a></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;<i><a href="http://www.themessthatisme.com/2014/06/the-disney-infinity-game.html">The Disney Infinity Game</a></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;<i><a href="http://www.themessthatisme.com/2014/06/a-day-at-animal-kingdom.html">A Day at Animal Kingdom</a></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">Thanks for visiting The Mess! Keep chasing your dreams!</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-B_kOybcuLsE/U4jLFvQ6YvI/AAAAAAAANUc/QOTq_mhmgt4/s1600/unnamed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-B_kOybcuLsE/U4jLFvQ6YvI/AAAAAAAANUc/QOTq_mhmgt4/s1600/unnamed.jpg" height="137" width="320" /></a></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">Pick up a copy of one of my books today!</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Confused-Life-The-Mess-Steroids-ebook/dp/B00IORB91K/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1394036088&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=a+confused+%3Blife">A Confused Life</a></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/204939">Circle of Justice</a></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Reaping-Harvest-Warrior-Way-Robbie-ebook/dp/B00BQG3XTW/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1394036293&amp;sr=8-4&amp;keywords=reaping+the+harvest">Reaping the Harvest</a></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><p><p><script src="http://connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js#xfbml=1"></script><fb:like href="http://www.themessthatisme.com/2014/06/why-are-you-telling-me.html" show_faces="false" width="450" font=""></fb:like> <P><P><P><!-- Place this tag where you want the su badge to render --><su:badge layout="5"></su:badge> <!-- Place this snippet wherever appropriate --><script type="text/javascript"> (function() { var li = document.createElement('script'); li.type = 'text/javascript'; li.async = true; li.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https:' : 'http:') + '//platform.stumbleupon.com/1/widgets.js'; var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(li, s); })(); </script> <a href="//www.pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.themessthatisme.com%2F2014%2F06%2Fwhy-are-you-telling-me.html&media=http%3A%2F%2F2.bp.blogspot.com%2F-KyRvqZqrIIo%2FUS4inGeDwAI%2FAAAAAAAAE9Q%2FRwah0rIEZew%2Fs1600%2Ffreeimage-7821792.jpg&description=What%20Are%20You%20Telling%20Me%3F%20~%20Put%20the%20halt%20to%20gossip" data-pin-do="buttonPin" data-pin-config="above"><img src="//assets.pinterest.com/images/pidgets/pinit_fg_en_rect_gray_20.png" /></a><!-- Please call pinit.js only once per page --><script type="text/javascript" async src="//assets.pinterest.com/js/pinit.js"></script> <script type="IN/Share" data-url="http://www.themessthatisme.com/2014/06/why-are-you-telling-me.html" data-counter="top"></script> Robbie Coxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13984616812301451319noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4241905912353051236.post-8976828621602208802014-06-23T08:02:00.000-04:002014-06-23T08:04:54.377-04:00He’d Make a Lousy Dog<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lqylFEcjd_U/U6gSZ9sUR-I/AAAAAAAAN1E/YRVauvlNeXI/s1600/CPets12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lqylFEcjd_U/U6gSZ9sUR-I/AAAAAAAAN1E/YRVauvlNeXI/s1600/CPets12.jpg" height="291" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Riley</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal">As I watch people, I am always amazed at how many would make lousy dogs. Man’s Best Friend would make a better human than these homosapien mongrels and the only trait they have in common is the ability to lick their own asses. They just don’t get it, especially those humans who fail in the parenting or friend departments. These people are worse than felines when it comes to believing they’re gods and the rest of the world is merely there to cater to their whims. They need to be put outside and the recliner given to the dog.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">In order to get a better understanding of what I’m talking about, let’s take a peek at just a few of the canine’s personality traits. I’m sure you’ll understand what I am referring to and will soon be dropping some of the parents and friends you know at the nearest animal shelter and picking up a dog.</div><a name='more'></a><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">First, a dog is <i>protective</i>. When Char and I first began our family, the first thing I did was buy a dog. I wanted a lap dog and we found a cute bundle of fur at the animal shelter that needed a home. Being young and stupid at the time, I didn’t realize that to help determine how big the dog will grow, you checked out his paw. My lap dog was going to need three laps to stretch out on and even though he was nowhere near the size I had wanted, he thought he was and climbed into my lap constantly. It didn’t matter to him that he overflowed my lap.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fzzuVk9aWYc/U6gSg5xJBpI/AAAAAAAAN1M/b9RlMEImKnw/s1600/CPets1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fzzuVk9aWYc/U6gSg5xJBpI/AAAAAAAAN1M/b9RlMEImKnw/s1600/CPets1.jpg" height="310" width="320" /></a>In one of the houses we lived in, we had a screened in porch and a chain link fence around the yard. However, we never closed the gate over the driveway, because I was too lazy to get in and out of the car every time we needed to go somewhere to open and close it. Riley, our wheaten terrier mix, never ventured past the fence, so I was never really worried.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Our mailbox resided on the edge of the fence on the opposite side, so the mailman could deliver our bills and spam mail without stepping into the yard. Our dog never paid attention to this stranger that came to our fence every day as long as he stayed on the other side. He would glance up occasionally, see who it was, and then resume watching over the boys on the porch. One day, however, the mailman needed to deliver a package that wouldn’t fit into the mailbox. He stepped past the fence and before he could take another step, Riley was out the door, barking a warning that dared the man to move another inch. The mailman didn’t take the dare.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Char was screaming at Riley to stop as she tried to catch up to him and eventually he did. Char apologized to the mailman and the mailman apologized to Riley. “I entered his domain. He was just protecting his family. That’s what dogs do.”<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">It wasn’t just against strangers either that Riley protected against. He seemed to know who the weaker individual was in our family wrestling matches and sided with them. Whenever the boys and I would begin teasing around with each other, Riley sided with the boys. One time, he even bit me on the ass to get me to cease and desist. I knew the boys were growing up when Riley switched sides and joined me against them. That’s when I started feeling old.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3iMHxkuimRg/U6gSmjRU2oI/AAAAAAAAN1U/r3MBb9IVaWk/s1600/CPets11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3iMHxkuimRg/U6gSmjRU2oI/AAAAAAAAN1U/r3MBb9IVaWk/s1600/CPets11.jpg" height="219" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">We need to protect each other and, most importantly, we need to protect our family. There are too many people only looking out for themselves as they throw their pity parties. They don’t care to protect their family or their friends.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">I will defend those I care about from slander as well as physical harm. I also believe everyone should do the same and perhaps less drama would be put out there since they know they will be called to task on it. If you see someone post something negative about someone you care about or hear something said that you know hurts another person and you say nothing against it, you’re just as bad as the person who said it. “I don’t want to get involved” or “I don’t want to choose sides” makes you a lousy friend. When arrows fly, it’s time to circle the wagons, not hightail it out of there. Stand up for those you stand by and when you’re under attack, you won’t stand alone.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3BVNJhLnp7I/U6gSr035KWI/AAAAAAAAN1c/VvcnSTZvAX0/s1600/CPets5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3BVNJhLnp7I/U6gSr035KWI/AAAAAAAAN1c/VvcnSTZvAX0/s1600/CPets5.jpg" height="220" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal">Dogs are also very <i>loyal</i>. They stand by you no matter what. They’re not waiting for a better owner to come along and steal their attention. They are <i>faithful</i> and always by your side.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Riley was always wherever we were. If we were outside, he was outside. In the bedroom, he would be there trying to sneak up on the bed. Sitting around watching TV, he would be in the middle of the floor, sprawled out waiting for his snack along with the boys. He even waited outside the bathroom door if I was the only one home. He loved being with us and rarely left our side.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">There are people who have no concept of what loyalty means. They’re ready to jump on the next exciting bandwagon that comes along. They’re not faithful with their words or their friendship. They are fickle and shallow and tend to go with the direction of the wind of popularity. These are not friends or even family members I want to surround myself with. I want people who have my back as I have theirs and those are the friendships I invest the time in.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-n1BnBggrZDI/U6gTBZSMBcI/AAAAAAAAN1k/S1C0ywfCpZQ/s1600/Cox82.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-n1BnBggrZDI/U6gTBZSMBcI/AAAAAAAAN1k/S1C0ywfCpZQ/s1600/Cox82.jpg" height="275" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Animals put up with so much from children</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal">Dogs are also always ready with their <i>attention</i>. Whether it’s playing catch, sharing a treat from the grill, or just cuddling up on the couch, dogs are always ready to spend time with you. With a whistle or a clap of hands, you call out the dog’s name and they’re right there, wagging their tail and ready to go.</div><o:p></o:p><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">People need our attention. I understand that life gets busy, but if I’m the only one ever reaching out to you to go do something, I’m going to cease the invites. Furthermore parents, your children need your attention and not just in front of a television or computer. Read to them. Play with them. Make crafts with them. They crave it and if you don’t have time to do it, your priorities are out of whack.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Dogs make more than great pets. They make good people. Sometimes, they make better humans than actual humans. And sometimes people don’t even make good dogs. The sad thing is there isn’t a shelter we can drop these people off at unless you count Walmart. Maybe that’s why I avoid going there.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><br /><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">~ ~ ~ ~ ~<o:p></o:p></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">Did you enjoy what you read? &nbsp;Leave me a comment and then join me at <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Mess-That-Is-Me/158910737496018">The Mess that Is Me</a> on Facebook!</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">See what you've missed ~ <i><a href="http://www.themessthatisme.com/2014/06/the-disney-infinity-game.html">The Disney Infinity Game</a></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;<i><a href="http://www.themessthatisme.com/2014/06/a-day-at-animal-kingdom.html">A Day at Animal Kingdom</a></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;<i><a href="http://www.themessthatisme.com/2014/06/you-judge-too-hard.html">"You Judge too Hard"</a></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">Thanks for visiting The Mess! Keep chasing your dreams!</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hDZ32xMb5Yw/U4OaM3qviyI/AAAAAAAANS4/8RmqIvcop4E/s1600/unnamed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hDZ32xMb5Yw/U4OaM3qviyI/AAAAAAAANS4/8RmqIvcop4E/s1600/unnamed.jpg" height="137" width="320" /></a></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">Pick up a copy of one of my books today!</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Confused-Life-The-Mess-Steroids-ebook/dp/B00IORB91K/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1394036088&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=a+confused+%3Blife">A Confused Life</a></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/204939">Circle of Justice</a></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Reaping-Harvest-Warrior-Way-Robbie-ebook/dp/B00BQG3XTW/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1394036293&amp;sr=8-4&amp;keywords=reaping+the+harvest">Reaping the Harvest</a></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><p><p><script src="http://connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js#xfbml=1"></script><fb:like href="http://www.themessthatisme.com/2014/06/hed-make-lousy-dog.html" show_faces="false" width="450" font=""></fb:like> <P><P><P><!-- Place this tag where you want the su badge to render --><su:badge layout="5"></su:badge> <!-- Place this snippet wherever appropriate --><script type="text/javascript"> (function() { var li = document.createElement('script'); li.type = 'text/javascript'; li.async = true; li.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https:' : 'http:') + '//platform.stumbleupon.com/1/widgets.js'; var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(li, s); })(); </script> <a href="//www.pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.themessthatisme.com%2F2014%2F06%2Fhed-make-lousy-dog.html&media=http%3A%2F%2F1.bp.blogspot.com%2F-lqylFEcjd_U%2FU6gSZ9sUR-I%2FAAAAAAAAN1E%2FYRVauvlNeXI%2Fs1600%2FCPets12.jpg&description=He%26%23x27%3Bd%20Make%20a%20Lousy%20Dog%20~%20Some%20people%20wouldn%26%23x27%3Bt%20even%20be%20a%20good%20animal" data-pin-do="buttonPin" data-pin-config="above"><img src="//assets.pinterest.com/images/pidgets/pinit_fg_en_rect_gray_20.png" /></a><!-- Please call pinit.js only once per page --><script type="text/javascript" async src="//assets.pinterest.com/js/pinit.js"></script> <script type="IN/Share" data-url="http://www.themessthatisme.com/2014/06/hed-make-lousy-dog.html" data-counter="top"></script> Robbie Coxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13984616812301451319noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4241905912353051236.post-64860549620118726252014-06-20T15:05:00.002-04:002014-06-20T15:08:20.938-04:00The Disney Infinity Game<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ykig4rO9SwY/U6SADqbMaaI/AAAAAAAANz8/U09TnvPd-T4/s1600/20140601_175949_Android.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ykig4rO9SwY/U6SADqbMaaI/AAAAAAAANz8/U09TnvPd-T4/s1600/20140601_175949_Android.jpg" height="320" width="180" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It begins</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal">“To infinity and beyond!” Okay, c’mon, the title had infinity in it. Plus it’s Disney. You know I had to say it. I don’t know if you are familiar with Disney Infinity or even if you are into video games. It’s an elaborate video game based around Disney characters such as the Incredibles, Jack Sparrow, Monsters Inc., and more. I’ve noticed it in the stores a few months ago and finally asked the girls to get it for my birthday. They weren’t surprised that I requested something about Disney. However, they were surprised that it was a video game. I don’t play video games.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Okay, that’s not entirely true. I used to play Angry Birds on my phone constantly. Then the 9-year-old asked to play it and tripled my score. I just stared at her. “Big deal. Can you do calculus?”<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">“Of course not, Robbie. I’m only nine. Can you do it?”<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">“Well, no, but that’s beside the point.” I then went and sat in my rocking chair.</div><a name='more'></a><o:p></o:p><br /><div class="MsoNormal">The older kids play Call of Duty online. They have headsets and everything, which to me is pretty high tech, but then again, I just let go of my Walkman. It took me a few days to realize that they were talking to their siblings in another part of town and not just yelling at the computer generated mercenaries or the television screen like their grandmother does during footballs games. They asked me to play once and I quickly sat down, grateful for the opportunity to be included in what they enjoyed. I picked up one of the controllers and asked what I need to do.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">“Just aim and shoot.”<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">What they didn’t tell me was how to maneuver the man around or even how to shoot. They kept sneaking up behind me, blowing my head off before I even had my gun pointed. They laughed over their headsets. I just grew frustrated.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">After I grounded them, I went to the store to buy Mario Brothers, something simple.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">I have never been good at video games. I am just not coordinated enough to maneuver the controls the way I need to in order to do anything but die. I did, however, die well.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">And often.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZthbKylGzgA/U6SFwwN5XMI/AAAAAAAAN0U/tc3SObz1XKs/s1600/20140620_142802.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZthbKylGzgA/U6SFwwN5XMI/AAAAAAAAN0U/tc3SObz1XKs/s1600/20140620_142802.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a>So the girls were a tad confused when I asked for the Disney Infinity game. Yet, ignoring their befuddlement as well as that nagging feeling at the base of their necks that told them this wasn’t going to end well, they were sweet enough to grant me my wish. I smiled like a little kid at Christmas as I unwrapped it and quickly hooked it up to the Wii.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><o:p></o:p><br /><div class="MsoNormal">Okay, that is not entirely true, either. Char hooked it up because I’m not really good at that on top of everything else I am not good at, like fixing cars or putting the toilet seat down. Once it was hooked up and ready to go, I set my characters on the Infinity Base and hit play.&nbsp; What I didn’t do was read the little booklet that they put in the game case that tells you how to work the controls. To be honest, I didn’t even see it because I was too eager to get the game started. I’m pushing buttons and waving my joystick around–get your minds out of the gutter–trying to figure out what buttons caused what responses. It was frustrating but fun at the same time.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">After I died several times in glorious fashion, the 9-year-old wanted a shot at it. Just because it was my gift didn’t mean she wasn’t going to take it over. I had Angry Birds flashbacks. Needless to say, she didn’t read the booklet, either. However, she knew how to jump, climb, block and everything else. I can’t even get my character to walk in a straight line. To make matters worse, as I sit there trying to get Sully to climb a dorm building, the cocky 9-year-old walks by giving me tips and advice–unwanted advice, I assure you. “Push the minus button to block.” “Hit A twice to jump higher.” “Push Z to fight.” “That’s not Z, that’s C.”<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">What the hell? “I remember when we only needed one button to fire and a lever to move the guy around.”<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">“This isn’t Galaga. Geesh.”<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">I drop the control and go sit in my rocking chair again.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XIMGVv8MzRY/U6SF-E0JlWI/AAAAAAAAN0c/Z2lHGjOoY_I/s1600/20140620_142735.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XIMGVv8MzRY/U6SF-E0JlWI/AAAAAAAAN0c/Z2lHGjOoY_I/s1600/20140620_142735.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">I love the game and I do play it–alone or when the kids aren’t around. I don’t mind looking like a fool in front of the girls. They’re used to it. I’m even getting better at it–the game that is, not looking like a fool. The girls might say both, but let’s not ask them.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">I recommend the game. It’s relaxing in a frustrating, throw-the-game-controller-through-the-screen kind of way. But, then again, you may be better at it than I am. I also use it to take a mental break after I’ve been writing for a while and need to unwind the brain cells. The break is always good for procrastination, as well, not that I really need help with that. So, give it a try–the game, not procrastinating–and let me know how you do. Unless, of course, you’re better than me at it, that is. Then you can just tell the 9-year-old.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">~ ~ ~ ~ ~ <o:p></o:p></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">Did you enjoy what you read? &nbsp;Leave me a comment and then join me at <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Mess-That-Is-Me/158910737496018">The Mess that Is Me</a> on Facebook!</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">See what you've missed ~ <i><a href="http://www.themessthatisme.com/2014/06/a-day-at-animal-kingdom.html">A Day at Animal Kingdom</a></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <i><a href="http://www.themessthatisme.com/2014/06/you-judge-too-hard.html">"You Judge Too Hard"</a></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <i><a href="http://www.themessthatisme.com/2014/06/changing-taste-buds.html">Changing Taste Buds</a></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">Thanks for visiting The Mess! Keep chasing your dreams!</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hDZ32xMb5Yw/U4OaM3qviyI/AAAAAAAANS4/8RmqIvcop4E/s1600/unnamed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hDZ32xMb5Yw/U4OaM3qviyI/AAAAAAAANS4/8RmqIvcop4E/s1600/unnamed.jpg" height="137" width="320" /></a></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">Pick up a copy of one of my books today!</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Confused-Life-The-Mess-Steroids-ebook/dp/B00IORB91K/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1394036088&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=a+confused+%3Blife">A Confused Life</a></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/204939">Circle of Justice</a></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Reaping-Harvest-Warrior-Way-Robbie-ebook/dp/B00BQG3XTW/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1394036293&amp;sr=8-4&amp;keywords=reaping+the+harvest">Reaping the Harvest</a></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><p><p><script src="http://connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js#xfbml=1"></script><fb:like href="http://www.themessthatisme.com/2014/06/the-disney-infinity-game.html" show_faces="false" width="450" font=""></fb:like> <P><P><P><!-- Place this tag where you want the su badge to render --><su:badge layout="5"></su:badge> <!-- Place this snippet wherever appropriate --><script type="text/javascript"> (function() { var li = document.createElement('script'); li.type = 'text/javascript'; li.async = true; li.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https:' : 'http:') + '//platform.stumbleupon.com/1/widgets.js'; var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(li, s); })(); </script> <a href="//www.pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.themessthatisme.com%2F2014%2F06%2Fthe-disney-infinity-game.html&media=http%3A%2F%2F1.bp.blogspot.com%2F-ykig4rO9SwY%2FU6SADqbMaaI%2FAAAAAAAANz8%2FU09TnvPd-T4%2Fs1600%2F20140601_175949_Android.jpg&description=The%20Disney%20Infinity%20Game%20~%20How%20I%20escape%20when%20I%20need%20a%20break." data-pin-do="buttonPin" data-pin-config="above"><img src="//assets.pinterest.com/images/pidgets/pinit_fg_en_rect_gray_20.png" /></a><!-- Please call pinit.js only once per page --><script type="text/javascript" async src="//assets.pinterest.com/js/pinit.js"></script> <script type="IN/Share" data-url="http://www.themessthatisme.com/2014/06/the-disney-infinity-game.html" data-counter="top"></script> Robbie Coxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13984616812301451319noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4241905912353051236.post-72525162897992940612014-06-18T14:34:00.000-04:002014-06-18T14:37:52.268-04:00A Day at Animal Kingdom<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CqaGrWmIGJw/U6HYHlQ9c1I/AAAAAAAANt8/g1RdcHUTcFE/s1600/Image10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CqaGrWmIGJw/U6HYHlQ9c1I/AAAAAAAANt8/g1RdcHUTcFE/s1600/Image10.jpg" height="211" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal">It was the 9-year-old’s first visit to Disney’s Animal Kingdom and my second. The reason we were going was because I needed a break from reality for a bit. We had all been going strong for a while and stress was weighing our shoulders down. We needed a time out from life and, like my mom always did when she felt that way, we hopped in the van and headed to Disney.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Well, it wasn’t exactly a spur of the moment event. We had been planning it for a month as if I knew when our breaking point was going to hit. Char had already put in for our Fast Passes and the little one was almost as excited as I was. Of course, no one is ever as excited as I am when we go to Disney.</div><a name='more'></a><o:p></o:p><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Qkj6Vp8veRk/U6HZAHOzFjI/AAAAAAAANuE/UtSwV_CmjkQ/s1600/20140612_114001_Android.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Qkj6Vp8veRk/U6HZAHOzFjI/AAAAAAAANuE/UtSwV_CmjkQ/s1600/20140612_114001_Android.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a>We were warned that it was going to rain, but it’s Florida; we are always warned about rain on a daily basis. We just don’t allow it to stop us. The morning, however, was nice and we took our time wandering from animal environment to animal environment, absorbing each new and fascinating creature. I would say animal pen, but these are not the typical cages you might find in low end zoos. Disney does an awesome job of creating believable and comfortable habitats for their charges.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">After snapping pictures by the <i>Tree of Life</i>, we ventured underneath the giant manmade tree with all of its carvings of animals to the attraction, <i>It’s Tough to be a Bug</i>. This is a 3D attraction with puppets and Audio Animatronics with Flik from <i>A Bug’s Life</i>hosting to tell us all about the importance of bugs in our world. Confronted with spiders falling from the ceiling and butterflies floating in front of our faces, we were hit with “acid” as one bug defended itself, quills shot from another and an “aroma” from another that rivaled my son’s gym bag. We even had the feeling of bugs rushing over our feet as they left the building. It was a great experience. Perhaps a little frightening at some points for very young children––and Teri––but well worth waiting in line for the rest of us.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OfakdzS3x5k/U6HZTrEqKHI/AAAAAAAANuM/1MOIUfif4WU/s1600/20140323_133459_Android.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OfakdzS3x5k/U6HZTrEqKHI/AAAAAAAANuM/1MOIUfif4WU/s1600/20140323_133459_Android.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Once we were back out under the overcast sky, it was time for lunch. I had spotted a barbecue place on our last visit, The Flame Tree Barbecue. I’m not sure why the choice of name. You would think trees in the wild kingdom would want to avoid flames, but still, the food was delicious. It also had more seating than any other Disney restaurant I had seen to date. It covered as much space as an entire attraction.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BgZkmGJAc1E/U6HZfwU-1jI/AAAAAAAANuU/Ym08BEDq0kw/s1600/20140612_131332_Android.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BgZkmGJAc1E/U6HZfwU-1jI/AAAAAAAANuU/Ym08BEDq0kw/s1600/20140612_131332_Android.jpg" height="320" width="180" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal">The sky was still a murky gray by the time we finished eating, but still no rain. It was time to move on to our next attraction, <i>The Kali River Rapids</i>. It was a water ride where twelve people climb inside the giant, round inner tube raft and prepare to drift down river, spinning and dodging spray jets and waterfalls. We went quickly through the line and were seated and strapped in place, eagerly awaiting our jaunt down the manmade river. Just as we pulled away from the wooden platform, thunder rumbled and the sky opened up with the coldest rain I had felt in a long time with the biggest drops.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">We were stuck. Trapped and already in motion. We were drenched and we hadn’t touched five feet.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">And we were laughing. What else could we do? The people on the raft were laughing as well and we screamed as the cold rain soaked us through and through. The girls and the 9-year-old were the ones hit by the sudden wave that crashed upon our raft at the end, but what did it matter at that point? You can only get so wet and we were already as wet as we could get.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">As we neared the platform to depart, the rain creased. We could only laugh harder.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Mi4RkftQjRA/U6HZpw7txKI/AAAAAAAANuc/w9pOxFwOEs4/s1600/20140612_145345_Android.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Mi4RkftQjRA/U6HZpw7txKI/AAAAAAAANuc/w9pOxFwOEs4/s1600/20140612_145345_Android.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal">Once we were off the ride, we headed to the restrooms to wipe the excess water from our bodies. We weren’t the only ones. People had their shirts off and were running them back and forth under the hair dryers. One of Disney’s cast members was in the hallway that led to the restroom doing his best to get a handle on the excess water with his mop. It was an attempt in futility. I dried my face and arms as best as I could and went back out to wait on the girls.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">From there we were going to walk the <i>Maharajah Jungle Trek</i>, so that the 9-year-old could see some tigers and giant bats, but the cast member at the attraction entrance said that the trail was closed. “There is severe lightening in the area and all open attractions are closed until it passes<i>.”<o:p></o:p></i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">My first thought was that Animal Kingdom was one giant open attraction. Were they closing it? The restaurants all had open seating. Did they stop taking food orders? Were the animals taken indoors? Did they even know they were an attraction and now in danger?<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BjNb9kM1EWM/U6HaDAUDBxI/AAAAAAAANuk/yn8zb-_tXPs/s1600/DSC05607.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BjNb9kM1EWM/U6HaDAUDBxI/AAAAAAAANuk/yn8zb-_tXPs/s1600/DSC05607.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">I didn’t ask any of these questions, of course. We just headed for the next attraction on our Fast Pass and hoped to find something to keep us occupied until it was time for our turn on the <i>Kilimanjaro Safari</i>. We took our time, enjoying the sights, and by the time we neared the other attraction that <i>was</i> safe to ride because the trucks had tires that grounded us. I’m not sure if that protected us if lightening comes through the windows or not. I failed Science.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bsmY3cmHSEY/U6HaY3AtnnI/AAAAAAAANus/JOxNinpjl6U/s1600/DSC05613.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bsmY3cmHSEY/U6HaY3AtnnI/AAAAAAAANus/JOxNinpjl6U/s1600/DSC05613.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">It didn’t matter, because the storm passed by the time we arrived anyway. We still had time to kill, so we walked the <i>Pangani Forest Exploration Trail</i>. We enjoyed female gorillas, exotic birds, and hippos, the latter pooping in his water habitat and feeding the fish. Ah, the joys of nature.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">From there we hopped on the safari ride. The 9-year-old had wide eyes of wonder as we drove by elephants and giraffes, rhinoceroses and zebras. I admit, I was wide-eyed, as well. These weren’t animals in cages or behind fences. These creatures roamed freely and we were able to see them up close and personal.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JZfcPMUrXmI/U6HahzK5cpI/AAAAAAAANu0/CpDiZyVxJ7w/s1600/20140612_180022_Android.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JZfcPMUrXmI/U6HahzK5cpI/AAAAAAAANu0/CpDiZyVxJ7w/s1600/20140612_180022_Android.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a>Our final Fast Pass was <i>Finding Nemo, the Musical</i> and we had an hour to kill, so I decided to explore some. There was quite a bit of Animal Kingdom we had failed to see last time the girls and I were there. Just to the edge of the Africa section of the park was one such area, so we ventured down a side path. A cast member, sitting in a booth, said we were just in time for the <i>Lion King Show</i> and there was still time.</div><o:p></o:p><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">“How long is it?” I knew we still had to get across the park to <i>Finding Nemo</i> and I wanted to get there early, because we wanted to get the 9-year-old close to the stage.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wJzdtMQHWQ0/U6Haygt4IbI/AAAAAAAANu8/umZRNzCHoKM/s1600/20140612_160156_Android.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wJzdtMQHWQ0/U6Haygt4IbI/AAAAAAAANu8/umZRNzCHoKM/s1600/20140612_160156_Android.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a>“Thirty minutes,” he answered. Plenty of time. The lights went out just as we entered and we had to feel our way along the benches, so we didn’t crack our knees. The show began as more people were ushered in and behind us sat a very talkative kid and an all-too-quiet mother. The kid was too loud and too rambunctious for a show and it wasn’t until Teri and I both turned and shot the kid and his mother a look that had them dead and buried that she finally got her kid under control. If you have not taught your child how to behave in movies, theaters, or public in general, you need to do it now before someone else forces you to do it.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">The show itself was amazing. Giant puppets, gymnasts, great vocalists and Timon running around trying to lead the show. The monkeys (gymnasts) were the best part of the show with their stunts on the trampoline and bars. Their strength and agility captured the eye and would not let go. The vocalists also were equally talented as they sang songs from the movie. I would definitely sit through it again. And again.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-B5UUXBfG7I8/U6HbT19xj8I/AAAAAAAANvE/LVnCvxTveBo/s1600/DSC05709.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-B5UUXBfG7I8/U6HbT19xj8I/AAAAAAAANvE/LVnCvxTveBo/s1600/DSC05709.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">From there, still cold and damp from the earlier shower, we grabbed some coffee, hot chocolate, and ice cream as we made our way to <i>Finding Nemo, the Musical</i>. We were the first in line as I wanted it and managed to get the 9-year-old right up against the runway part of the stage. Nemo’s dad even bent down and asked her if she knew where Nemo was. It made her day and happens to be the part of the entire trip that she shares the most.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">If you’ve never seen <i>Finding Nemo, the Musical</i>, I highly recommend it. A fantastic cast of talented performers and singers who handle giant puppets as they tell the tale of Nemo and his father. It’s only forty minutes long, but it truly grips you and takes you on a delightful journey. Even the sharks made the kids laugh.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-D3QMfWQ2SG8/U6HbaWaqPGI/AAAAAAAANvM/fTn2pdyvAuM/s1600/Image19.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-D3QMfWQ2SG8/U6HbaWaqPGI/AAAAAAAANvM/fTn2pdyvAuM/s1600/Image19.jpg" height="212" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal">From there it was on to <i>Expedition Everest</i>, Animal Kingdom’s roller coaster. Well, Teri and Sarah went. Char and I felt it our duty to stay behind and watch over the 9-year-old. We couldn’t exactly just allow her to wander the park alone, right? Teri and Sarah disappeared into the tunnel and the three of us went to watch that screaming plunge they were going to take. Soon, we saw them click-clacking their way ever higher into the sky. Sarah saw us and waved. We waved goodbye, as well. A few seconds later we saw them screaming their lungs out as they plummeted down the mountain and around a sharp turn. We laughed at their terrified faces and determined we had made the right decision staying behind. They, however, came out beaming with pride that they did it. I don’t blame them.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Even with the rain and the drenched clothing, we had a blast. You would have thought we would have been miserable, and we could very well have been. However, when you’re with the right people, even a bad experience can be a great time. That’s why I love going everywhere with these three ladies. They make even a downpour a beautiful day.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UX7vVF7GuqE/U6HcdZGverI/AAAAAAAANvU/SxpxOqXJ-Jw/s1600/20140612_141637_Android.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UX7vVF7GuqE/U6HcdZGverI/AAAAAAAANvU/SxpxOqXJ-Jw/s1600/20140612_141637_Android.jpg" height="320" width="180" /></a></div><br /></div><br /><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">~ ~ ~ ~ ~<o:p></o:p></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">Did you enjoy what you read? &nbsp;Leave me a comment and then join me at <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Mess-That-Is-Me/158910737496018">The Mess that Is Me</a> on Facebook!</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">See what you've missed ~ <i><a href="http://www.themessthatisme.com/2014/06/you-judge-too-hard.html">"You Judge too Hard"</a></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <i><a href="http://www.themessthatisme.com/2014/06/changing-taste-buds.html">Changing Taste Buds</a></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <i><a href="http://www.themessthatisme.com/2014/06/summer-zones-are-now-in-progress.html">Summer Zones are now in Progress</a></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">Thanks for visiting The Mess! Keep chasing your dreams!</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-B_kOybcuLsE/U4jLFvQ6YvI/AAAAAAAANUc/QOTq_mhmgt4/s1600/unnamed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-B_kOybcuLsE/U4jLFvQ6YvI/AAAAAAAANUc/QOTq_mhmgt4/s1600/unnamed.jpg" height="137" width="320" /></a></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">Pick up a copy of one of my books today!</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Confused-Life-The-Mess-Steroids-ebook/dp/B00IORB91K/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1394036088&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=a+confused+%3Blife">A Confused Life</a></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/204939">Circle of Justice</a></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Reaping-Harvest-Warrior-Way-Robbie-ebook/dp/B00BQG3XTW/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1394036293&amp;sr=8-4&amp;keywords=reaping+the+harvest">Reaping the Harvest</a></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><script src="http://connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js#xfbml=1"></script><fb:like font="" href="http://www.themessthatisme.com/2014/06/a-day-at-animal-kingdom.html" show_faces="false" width="450"></fb:like> <br /><br /><br /><!-- Place this tag where you want the su badge to render --><su:badge layout="5"></su:badge> <!-- Place this snippet wherever appropriate --><script type="text/javascript"> (function() { var li = document.createElement('script'); li.type = 'text/javascript'; li.async = true; li.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 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